T@$#etmaster

is da debbil

Witness the following exchange. The Mariners are coming back into town for their final homestand next week, and I wanted to catch a few games. Of note is the double-header scheduled for next Wednesday. Since we don’t generally have that sort of game here in Seattle, I wanted to catch it. (The Ricker and I were also at the previous one here in lovely Safeco Field.)

SO, I go to buy tickets. Since I wanted to make sure I got some, I went to the source, rather than brave the wilds of the intarwebs.

Unfortunately, the source is powered by Ticketmaster.

The tale of the tape: for a pretty cheap ticket, I am presented with the following bill:

Tickets (Seattle Mariners vs. Cleveland Indians)
Full Price Adult US $14.00 x 1
Total Convenience Charge(s)

US $3.25 x 1

Additional Taxes US $0.29
Order Processing Charge(s) US $3.32
Will Call

No Charge

TOTAL CHARGES US $20.86

That’s right. Simply to take my order (delivery of the ticket would have been an additional $3, minumum), Ticketmaster wanted to add a 47% surcharge to my order.

Well, Fuck that.

Here’s what Rick and I had to say on the topic

Bhagwanx: (Get this Shit.) I’ll go to the team store tonight and get them.
The Ricker: TicketMaster is Satan
Bhagwanx: no shit

At the team store, a much better ticket cost me two dollars less. And, I got the other two games on my list for the same price, in the same section, in pretty much the same seat.

So, the inconvenience fee can blow me. It’s ALWAYS worth it to shop in person.

Or to run the gauntlet online. Found the seats I wanted at about the price I paid on the CL.

Go figure.