October 28, 2009 · 1:19 AM

National Association of Ticket Brokers fires back at Wynn for ‘arbitrary rules’

By John Katsilometes

Steve Wynn.

Photo: Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com

Even scalpers have a voice.

Issued this afternoon was an official statement from the National Association of Ticket Brokers, which bills itself as “the non-profit trade association dedicated to protecting consumers and the secondary ticket market,” responding to Steve Wynn’s aggressive efforts to prevent the scalping of tickets to Garth Brooks’ shows at Encore Theater.

In the statement, issued via e-mail, NATB General Counsel Gary Adler, says:

“As a top travel destination, Las Vegas is one of the largest markets for secondary ticket sales. The average visitor can’t always plan their trips around the most popular shows, or track down the best seats as soon as they go on sale.

“Fans hire brokers to help them find the tickets they want, for the price they can pay, or to resell the tickets they can’t use. Wynn has no right to tell these fans ‘hey, tough luck - unless you bought them at our box office within two hours of going on sale then you can’t go to the show.’

“Fans should have the right to buy and sell the tickets they want without having to RSVP their guests or risk cancellation based on new, arbitrary rules.” (Read the full statement here).

At a full ticket price of $143 apiece, Brooks’ first 20 performances sold out in five hours on Saturday as many tickets were scooped up online by brokers attempting to make a profit even 10 times the tickets’ face value. Wynn officials have sent a warning to ticket brokers stating, “It has come to our attention that you are representing yourself as a licensed ticket broker for the purpose of reselling tickets for the Garth Brooks concerts at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas. Please be advised that you have not been authorized as a licensed ticket broker by Wynn Las Vegas, and you are not authorized to resell any Garth Brooks tickets for his concerts at our venue.” Wynn also said his agents reserve the right to cancel any ticket at any time.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.

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