How to Get Better Seats

Want the best seat in the house? You'll need to invest some time or money, but it'll be worth it when you're sitting front row and center. Follow these tips and tricks to score better seats.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Review a seating map of the venue prior to buying preassigned seating tickets. Some venues have seating maps online. Most city guides and phone directories also contain this information.

2. Donate to the organization or become a sponsor if you are attending a community-based event, such as theater or opera. Donors or sponsors often get priority seating.

3. Buy season tickets every year. Most organizations reward loyal, regular patrons with great seats. Share season tickets with a group of people if you don't want to attend all of the games or performances.

4. Buy the tickets as soon as they become available to ensure that you have a good selection of seats.

5. If the event is general admission, show up as early as possible to nab the best seats.

6. If you expect an event to sell out quickly, form a tag team with a friend. Have one person stand in line at a ticket outlet while the other attempts to buy the tickets online. Or you can use a cell phone to call for tickets while you stand in line.

7. Find out if your company has any spare corporate tickets for the event. Corporations tend to purchase better seats than general admission ones.

8. Use a reputable ticket broker or an Internet auction site for hard-to-come-by seats. Be prepared to pay--these tickets will cost more than their face value.

9. Check with the box office several hours before the event. Sometimes returned or unsold tickets become available at the last minute.

Tips & Warnings

• Once a ticket has been purchased, it may be difficult (if not impossible) to change to a better seat, especially if the venue is sold out. Check with a seating usher or the box office. If a seat is broken or your view of the event is obscured, ask to speak to a manager at the box office and request a remedy.
• Radio stations give away excellent concert seats and backstage passes. Listen early in the morning or late at night when the audience is smaller, and use multiple phone lines on automatic redial to increase your chances of winning.