From Deseret News archives:
Sundance flays online scalping
Festival is cracking down on resales on eBay, other sites
Sundance officials say they are "scanning eBay" and cracking down on ticket sales. Sundance warns that tickets resold online can be remotely deactivated before the film's showing.
"We've contacted those sellers and informed them of our policy and what actions we are taking," said Patrick Hubley, festival spokesman. "I wouldn't advise people to buy tickets off of eBay or any other site," except for the official Sundance site, Hubley said.
On Saturday afternoon, two tickets to the first screening of the movie "Waitress" staring Keri Russell, of television's "Felicity," sold for $385. About half an hour later the auction ended for a second pair of "Waitress" tickets for the same screening — $255.
Sundance gives locals a shot at purchasing tickets before they go on sale nationally. It's an increasingly competitive process. More than 2,460 Utahns were selected at random for a chance to buy up to 20 tickets each at the locals-only sale.
Sundance's box office Web site states: "Sundance reserves the right to prohibit any future sales during this festival and in future years to any ticket buyer who is identified as an online auction ticket reseller."
It appeared some of the 293 entries under a search for "Sundance tickets" Saturday were trying to get around the reselling tickets prohibition. Several sellers were giving free tickets away with the purchase of festival venue instructions or a film guide.
Several venue instructions and film guides, which are both items given free to ticket holders, were selling for around $80 Saturday afternoon. A film guide for sale that would come with two "free" tickets to "Waitress" was going for $227, with bidding ending Sunday afternoon.
The Sundance Film Festival begins Thursday and runs through Jan. 28 with film screenings in Park City, Ogden, Sundance and Salt Lake City.
Remaining tickets are available for purchase online on the festival Web site. For those willing to stand in the cold, a few wait list tickets are available for most screenings.
On Jan. 29 and 30, Sundance presents free screenings for locals of films that won awards at the festival. Tickets to the "Best of Fest" screenings were available on a first-come, first-served basis Saturday and Sunday, with a two ticket per person limit.
