eBay Bans Sale of Obama Inauguration Tickets

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 14, 2008 - 10:49am.

Washington - Though more than 1 million people are expected in DC for January's historic inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, they won't be able to purchase highly coveted tickets to the event on eBay (NASD: EBAY).

Following meetings with the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, eBay has decided to ban the sale of all inaugural tickets from its websites, which also includes StubHub, the Associated Press reported.

A limited number of free tickets to the event will be distributed by congressional offices, which have been inundated by requests in recent days.

Committee head Sen. Dianne Feinstein, however, hopes the move will help cut down on scalping and ticket fraud.

Prior to the decision, tickets for the Jan. 20 event were listed with prices as high as $40,000 each.

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/5hlqi (AP)

Published in DMW Daily, November 14, 2008

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tags: eBay | Washington | Politics | Barack Obama |

Comments

Sale of inauguration tickets..

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on November 17, 2008 - 7:53am.

Congrats to EBay and Feinstein... Tickets which shouldbe free should remain free to enable everyone somewhat of an equal ground for attendance... There is always going to be those who attend based on who you know. However, that better than people making money off these tickets... If money made off these tickets was going back into the economy... I would have no problem, but we know that is not the case.

Inauguration Tickets

Submitted by Tony (not verified) on December 19, 2008 - 1:47am.

How is it Possible for Ebay to BAN the sale of these Tickets? It is NOT Illegal to sell these tickets and I feel It is in Direct Violation of OUR Constitutional Rights, for EBAY to Block such a sale. The way the Economy is right now, There are Several thousands of people struggling right now, and for those to be accepted, ( Ticket Lottery ) to obtain the tickets, it should be their choice as to whether or not to sale them. Me personnaly, If I were to receive the tickets, I WOULD SALE THEM AS FAST AS I COULD to help pay for food, Heat, back Bills, car repairs, and so on. The Money would be going right back into the Economy. And if someone were to pay 10k 20k 30k or even 40k for a single ticket, then I say, that they have too much money as it is. This is a FREE COUNTRY, where the citizens are struggling to get by. There are NO Jobs at the Moment, we have never had so many JOB losses, factories closing, Bankruptcy Filings since the GREAT DEPRESSION. To allow EBAY to refuse to allow the AMERICAN CITIZENS their rights as AMERICANS to Sale a Piece of their Personal Property, ( That's right, once in their possession, it is theirs to do whatever with ) is a violation of the Constitutional RIGHTS. WHAT HAPPENED? Did RUSSIA take over this Country? In Closing, like I have stated, there is nothing Stating that it is ILLEGAL for the tickets to be sold by the Holder. Holy Cow, Ticket Companies are already selling them. How did they get them already? They even have the seats listed that are for sale. What are they better than the citizens because they are a company? Maybe this is the Governments way of giving them some type of BAILOUT. Well, the companies are NOT the ones in Need of a Bailout. It is the everyday Average, get up and go to work ( for the ones who still have jobs ) Americans who need Stimulized and BAILED OUT. GET OVER IT EBAY. YOU SUCK

Tony is lacking a few brain cells

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on January 16, 2009 - 11:06am.

I will not go into much detail, as this guys lack of brain power speaks for itself. Typing in caps does not make you right. Ebay has every right to choose what can and can not be sold on its web site. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that websites must allow anyone to sell anything they want. One last point- how exactly does one go about getting "Stimulized"?