Fenway Park is scheduled to open this week. With the Boston Red Sox more popular than ever, fans need to know certain self-help tips as they scramble for tickets to opening day and other big games.
Beth Lindstrom, Director of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, and her Consumer Awareness Team will be outside Fenway Park on Opening Day from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. just outside Gate A. The mission is to educate consumers on the best ways to purchase and identify an authentic Red Sox ticket.
"Consumers need to protect themselves when it comes to ticket resale, " said Lindstrom. "Opening Day is always a day filled with fun and excitement and we want it to stay that way. By educating Red Sox fans, we help ensure that the day won't be ruined by ticket fraud or the unscrupulous activities of ticket scalpers."
The Office of Consumer Affairs recommends the following to fans looking to buy tickets:
Buy From the Red Sox Directly:
The best way to ensure purchase of an authentic ticket is to buy tickets directly from the Red Sox. Believe it or not, there may be tickets for the Opening Day available on Friday at the ticket booth or online through the Red Sox SmartFan service. Anyone can become a member of SmartFan for $49.95. The initiation fee grants the consumers 2 Red Sox tickets to an upcoming game and exclusive access to purchase premium tickets from Red Sox Season Ticket Holders who have tickets they cannot use. Fans can sign-up for SmartFan online at www.redsox.com. With unpredictable weather conditions, it is possible that Opening Day tickets will be for sale
Ask Questions When Buying From a Ticket Reseller:
Make sure the seller is a licensed ticket broker or reseller with the state. Consumers can call the Office of Consumer Affairs toll free at 888-283-3757 or the Office of Public Safety at 617-727-3200 to confirm the license of a broker. Consumers should also use a credit card to pay for the tickets instead of cash. There may be some protection from the credit card company to dispute the charges if there is improper billing, a cancellation or fraud. In addition, a consumer should check the company's refund policy.
Beware When Buying a Ticket on the Street:
Consumers should beware - this is the riskiest proposition of all. You may find yourself dealing with an unlicensed ticket scalper that may charge you double or triple the face value of the ticket. Consumers will also be required to pay for the transaction in cash so there is no record of the sale and no recourse if the ticket is counterfeit.
Finally, consumers should know how to identify an authentic Red Sox ticket by looking for the following features on any Red Sox ticket they wish to purchase:
*Navy blue border
*Picture of a baseball player on the top of the ticket with the Red Sox logo in one of the two top corners
*Picture of a baseball on the bottom right corner that says "Fenway" on top of the baseball, "Park" on the bottom of the baseball and the word "Game" followed by the actual game number.
*Just below the picture of the player, check for the opponent's team name, date and time
* Below that your seat location should be printed
* On the bottom of the ticket is the ticket stub. Here, the game information and ticket information is repeated.
A consumer who still feels anxious and has a cell phone available, can contact the Boston Red Sox ticket office located at Fenway Park to authenticate the ticket, 1-877-REDSOX9.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Happy Holidays from iBerkshires!
?? From all of us at iBerkshires, we want to wish our readers a very Merry Christmas and a joyful holiday season! Thank you for letting us be part of your stories and your community. Here’s to celebrating the moments that bring us together. ???
Jesse Saylor of TSKP Studio, the school project designer, said the conductivity of the soils were comparable or better than three recent school completed in Connecticut.
click for more
