Ticket Resale and Obama Inauguration

I have scored some tough tickets before, like to last year’s Oyster Riot, ALCS tickets in 2006, Dodgers and Angeles on father’s day. I would love to get a ticket to president-elect Barak Obama’s inauguration, but my normal method for scoring tickets might be cut off. This method is buying tickets through craigslist and Ebay.

Ebay has banned the sale of inauguration ticket and there is talk in congress of banning second market sales (i.e. scalping) of inauguration speech ticket. If you are looking for tickets, it looks like e-mailing your Senator or Represenative is the only way at this point.

Economists are generally for free markets and allowing ticket resale is a type of free market. But, it is worth noting that tickets have not even been issued yet, and as the cost of tickets goes up so does the likelihood for fraud. My guess is that if you want an inauguration ticket and you strike out with your congress member, head down to the event and try to purchase a ticket a little bit after things start.