TAMPA BAY, Fla. — Game one tickets for the Stanley Cup Final broke resale records, according to third-party seller Vivid Seats. The online ticket resale site now shows tickets for the next several games between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche running between a few hundred and over $12,000 each.
The prices are way up compared to previous years, making the stakes higher for die-hard fans willing to pay to watch all the action on the ice in person. And that’s why Tampa Police will be out, in force, around Amalie Arena before the puck drops, rooting out criminals hawking fake tickets.
Tampa Police Cpl. Stanley Merchant said the police officers assigned to the unit know the regulars who sell legitimate tickets on the street. And he advises ticket hunters to check with one of those officers before purchasing from an individual selling around the arena.
And the biggest red flag, according to Corporal Merchant, is the offer to sell you a paper ticket.
“There are no paper tickets at all,” he said.
Corporal Merchant also recommends using caution when buying online.
“There are people who, if you get online, will tell you if they've had issues with this website or that website,” he said. “You might have to do a little research.”
Pinellas County Consumer Protection Investigator Anna Marie Fiallos told ABC Action News your payment method can make all the difference should the online deal go south. Her advice:
“No gift cards, don't pay by cash. Don't wire money. Those are all the same as cash, so once you send it your money is good as gone.”
