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Ticket scalpers had big weekend in Athens for Georgia-Clemson
By Jordan Cox
Published:
Scalping tickets is now illegal in many SEC towns, and it’s because of what happened Saturday in Athens.
Ticket counterfeiters had a big day on Saturday, profiting more than $1,550 from fake tickets. According to University of Georgia police, no arrests were made because by the time the counterfeit tickets were noticed, potential suspects were gone.
For those not aware, often times counterfeit tickets don’t have certain traits to them that authentic tickets do, and those trained to look for those authenticities can notice them missing. The tickets sold in Athens on Saturday, however, fooled even ticket takers at the gate.
According to UGA Police Chief Jimmy Williamson, fans only learned they’d be scammed when they arrived at the seats they thought they’d paid for, only to find them occupied by legitimate ticket holders.
Prices paid for the counterfeit tickets ranged from $100 to $550, according to police.
Williamson said the UGA Athletic Association adds watermarks and other indicators on legitimate tickets that people with trained eyes know to spot. Excluding the watermarks, the fake tickets on Saturday appeared to have other features that led ticket takers into thinking they were real.
It got bad, however, when those who had paid for counterfeit tickets were escorted out of Sanford Stadium.
“Some people think that once they are inside the stadium, we are able to make accommodations for them. but we have no extra seats,” Williamson told the Athens Banner-Herald. “The reality is we can’t overfill the stadium.”
After living in Birmingham, Ala., Jordan left the ground zero of SEC Nation to head south to Florida to tell the unique stories of the renowned tradition of SEC football. In his free time, his mission is to find the best locales around.
