Ticket prices for March Madness Atlanta games reportedly surging
Credit: State Farm Arena
ATLANTA - March Madness is taking over downtown this weekend as NCAA tournament games tip off Friday at State Farm Arena.
What we know:
Michigan State and Ole Miss will face off first in the Sweet 16 round, followed by a matchup between Auburn and Michigan. Both Auburn and Michigan shared photos this week of their teams departing for Atlanta. Tipoff for the Auburn-Michigan game is scheduled for 9:39 p.m. Friday.
Fans hoping to attend may face steep ticket prices. According to ticketing technology company Victory Live, prices in the southern region have surged following Auburn’s second-round win and Ole Miss’s victory.
As of Monday, the average ticket price had climbed to about $940 — a jump of more than $500 from Saturday’s average.
Helpful Information:
USAA is offering the following tips to help fans avoid being scammed when purchasing tickets.
Top Tips to Avoid Ticket Scams
- Buy from trusted vendors: Use websites like VerifiedTicketSource.com to verify that it is a registered ticket reseller. StubHub and Ticketmaster offer guarantees against fraudulent listings.
- Use protected payment methods: When you pay in cash, Zelle or via wire transfer, that money can be difficult to recover. Where possible, pay with your credit card, which offers greater consumer protection.
- Look for a refund policy: Be wary on any ticket listings that don’t offer clear details about the terms of the transaction.
- Watch out for phishing scams: Beware of suspicious texts or emails, especially those using official-looking vendor logos and return email addresses. Clicking the links could add malicious software to your device and allow the scammer to track your online activity.
- Buying off Facebook? Take a second look: Check their profile and see how recently their account was made. If it was made in the last month, most likely, they are a scammer. It’s also a red flag if they have very few posts.
- Too good to be true? If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Slow down, take time and do your research. Scammers use a sense of urgency to lure you into bad deals.
What to do if you have been scammed: Report the fraud to your bank immediately and add to the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker.