City Council Discussing Change To Ticket Scalping Ordinance

The Oklahoma City City Council is discussing making a change to the city's three-decade old scalping ordinance that dictates the amount scalpers can sell tickets for.

You have probably seen them on your way to an event, ticket brokers looking to buy and sell tickets.

"If somebody has extra tickets, I will take my risk with my money and buy them based on what I judge the market to be," said ticket broker, Mike Chandler.

Chandler says big companies like Ticketmaster can make huge profits on their ticket sales. But the current city ordinance restricts his business too much.

"The ordinance that's on the books right now prohibits all sales of any ticket in Oklahoma City in excess of 50-cents, period. It's illegal to scalp a ticket," said assistant municipal counselor, Wiley Williams.

But now the city council is looking at changes to that ordinance, allowing sales up to $20 more than the face value.

"You may have paid $15 above the face value for that ticket in those fees. If you go out and try to sell your ticket today, and you're trying to recover everything you paid for in the ticket, you can't do it legally," said Williams.

Chandler is not opposed to restrictions, he just doesn't agree with the restriction that limits how much he can sell his tickets for.

"Legitimize that by putting in a license into the ordinance, where the seller has to be vetted. There's some recourse for the customer at that point," said Chandler.

Chandler's main point is to turn scalping into a legitimate business with oversight, since buying and selling tickets isn't going anywhere.

"If you're a season ticket holder, you're not going to make all of the games. You need an outlet where you can sell your tickets on the secondary market legally and fairly for what you want," said Chandler.

No action has been taken yet on changing the ordinance. If a scalper is caught illegally making a profit right now they could be arrested and fined $750.