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Everyone, who has ever been to a sporting event or concert, knows how expensive the night can run. Between, tickets $60-150 for a pair, parking $10-20 and refreshments $20-50, a couple can easily spend in excess of $200. However, there are ways of attending a concert or sporting event without blowing massive amounts of cash, and still have a great time.
1) PARKING:
If you park a few blocks away from the stadium or arena, you can usually find inexpensive parking. Never park right next to the arena if you are trying to save money. The other advantage to parking a few blocks from the arena is a quick and easy exit. If you are a few blocks from the arena, you avoid the mayhem when everyone tries to leave at the same time.
2) INEXPENSIVE FOOD
The largest savings can be made eating and drinking before entering the event. Tailgate parties not only save money, they are also fun. Bring a small barbecue—I suggest a Smokey Joe or Hibachi, because they burn coals economically—and cooking your own food. This not only saves money, but also allows you to eat better food. What would you rather eat? A $4.00-5.00 undercooked hot dog or hamburger, or a nice juicy steak? Even if you like hot dogs and hamburgers, you can cook a whole package of name brand beef dogs or eight hamburgers for the same price they charge for one! Heck, you could probably even buy the rolls. Corn and potatoes are other good barbecue items, because they require minimum condiments and dishes. Wrap the potatoes and corn in tin foil before you leave and you’re ready to go.
Bring your own booze. If you are with a group of ten or more people, you may wish to buy a pony keg. You can usually get one for less than $40 and that’s less than the cost of ten six packs. Plus, it’s a lot more beer!
3) CHEAP SEATS
A) SCALP: scalping is one of the best ways to get cheap seats, especially if you remember the following the rules:
1) NEVER PAY ABOVE TICKET PRICE, BECAUSE YOU COULD GET BUSTED.
2) BARTER: If they say $30 a piece, you say two for forty. Chew them down. Remember it’s not against the law to buy tickets for below face value. Plus, these guys make a fortune burning whatever suckers they can find. DON’T BE A SUCKER! Make them lower the price.
3) LOOK AROUND, THE FIRST DEAL IS NEVER THE BEST.
a) If they are hanging around the lights three blocks before the arena or stadium, you know you can get cheaper tickets by the front gate.
b) It’s always best to buy tickets near the front gate. Many times, an emergency pops up, and someone cannot attend an event. Their friends will probably try to sell the ticket at face value near the ticket booths by the front gate.
4) Wait until the event starts. Scalpers drop ticket prices drastically once an event has begun. Wait until the first act begins to play, the opening pitch, the kickoff, the face-off, or the tip-off. Scalpers begin to panic, and usually sell their tickets at ridiculously low prices. People with extra tickets just want to see the show, and occasionally you may even get a ticket for free. I have gotten tickets to see The Who for five dollars, Bruce Springsteen for three dollars, The Miami Hurricanes football team for five dollars, The Orlando Magic for six dollars, and the New York Yankees—right above the dugout—for ten dollars. Just be patient and diligent and you’ll get a ticket for the price you can afford.
B) NOSEBLEEDS. Some arenas, Sunrise home of the Florida Panthers, hold back nosebleed seats for the day of the game. These seats offer a difficult view, but often the most dedicated fans. There are two suggestions I can offer to improve your view.
1) MOVE! Watch for empty seats. Wait until after the first quarter, period, half, set of songs, and move to empty seats that are better. Sneaking down into those seats is an art in itself. Look for an usher who is busy talking to other patrons, and then walk right in as if you have been sitting there all night. This usually works, but if it doesn’t try another gate. Remember, like when you were scalping tickets, you must be patient and diligent.
2) BINOCULARS. If all else fails or you are too chicken to try and bogart a better seat, try binoculars.
CONCLUSION:
The Whole idea is to have fun. Do not ruin it by getting arrested for doing something stupid. Tailgate, park a few blocks from the arena, and buy cheap tickets from scalpers.
Some places allow you to bring goatskin canteens inside, if so take advantage.
If you want to be brave, you may wish to try and sell sodas from the parking lot. Be discreet, you’ll find that once you get one customer, more will quickly follow. In fact, if you just stand there with an open cooler full of cokes, people will probably approach you about buying a soda. However, this is risky, and if you get caught, you may end up in jail. It’s best to play it smart and save money on tickets, parking, and refreshments.
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