With interest building for the regular-season opener at Lambeau Field in September, the Packers, Green Bay Police Department and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection are reminding fans to be cautious when shopping for and purchasing game tickets from secondary sources.
The team has received reports of counterfeit tickets circulating online through unauthorized resellers. Although the internet makes it easier for counterfeit tickets to be created and sold, it is also easier for ticket buyers to do research and protect themselves from purchasing counterfeit tickets.
Free online marketplaces that ask buyers to arrange to pay for tickets in person are often sources of counterfeit tickets. Fans are advised to only buy verified tickets from official sources and team partners, such as Ticketmaster’s NFL Ticket Exchange, the official marketplace of the NFL. Fans can access Ticketmaster verified tickets via packers.com/tickets or the Packers Mobile App, ensuring that all tickets purchased are authentic and valid for admission. Other resale marketplaces that offer verified tickets are StubHub and SeatGeek.
Fans are also reminded that while original paper tickets issued by the Packers ticket office remain valid for entry, the team has eliminated PDF/“Print at Home” tickets in favor of Mobile Tickets. If fans purchase tickets on the secondary market via NFL-approved secondary marketplaces, those tickets will be forwarded electronically to be used as Mobile Tickets only.
According to the DATCP, other ticket sources to consider should be members of the National Association of Ticket Brokers, as these businesses may offer a money-back guarantee if a problem occurs with purchased tickets. Ticket buyers are advised to be aware of whether or not secondary ticketing sources or classified ad sites offer guarantees or have return policies in place, and are encouraged to call DATCP’s Consumer Protection hotline at 1-800-422- 7128 to check a business for complaints.
Fans are encouraged to be diligent and do their research before choosing to buy tickets from unofficial sources, as well as to use a credit card to purchase, so that in the event of a problem, the charges can be disputed. Ticket buyers are also urged to request identification from those selling the tickets, and should keep in mind that if the ticket pricing seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Fans using unofficial sources are also asked to be wary of significant discounts on the price of the tickets paired with stories about the owner being overseas, in the military or involved in an accident. Red flags also include poor grammar and spelling, or requests for payment by wire transfer, cashier’s check, money order or prepaid debit or gift cards.
