Okay, let me tell you straight up how I hunted for those Blazers vs Spurs tickets this year. Felt like a mission impossible at first!
Starting Point: The Frustration
First thing I did, naturally, was check the usual ticket sellers for the official release date. Boom, gone faster than free donuts in the office. Completely sold out already. Ugh, panic mode kicked in slightly. Secondary market time, whether I liked it or not. That’s always where the real “fun” begins.
The Hunt Heats Up
Started scrambling through major reseller sites everyone talks about. You know the ones. Was hitting refresh like crazy, hoping a good deal would pop up. Prices? Insane. Seriously, some people want your first-born plus a kidney. Ain’t nobody got that kinda cash.
Checked the teams’ sites again hoping for a miracle, maybe some returns or late release? Nada. Zip. Zilch. Dead ends. Felt stuck.
Getting Creative & Patient
This ain’t my first rodeo hunting hot tickets, so I dug deeper. Remembered that news I saw earlier about big promotions – like that Taobao VIP NBA China Game ticket perk. Got me thinking: maybe similar stuff pops up closer to the game? Deals, partnerships? Gotta keep your eyes peeled everywhere, not just ticket sites.
Then I just sat back. Seriously. Best move sometimes. Prices on reseller sites? They yo-yo like crazy, especially weeks after the initial mad rush and then again right before tip-off if folks get desperate to sell. Set up price alerts on those major resellers. Figured I’d wait out the initial storm.
Scoring the Deal
Kept watching those alerts. Checked daily. Saw Spurs mentioned heavily in those rebuild articles – Victor, the new guys – people are hyped. Blazers got that young talent too, like Yang Hansen showing flashes. Knew demand would stay high. Patience was key. Then one morning, bam! An alert popped for tickets way below the crazy early highs. Section decent enough, price still high but relatively okay in this crazy market. Didn’t hesitate. Slammed that buy button faster than you can say “Airball!”
A couple days later, checked again just out of curiosity. Prices had spiked back up already. Felt like dodging a bullet.
Takeaways for Next Time
- Official sellouts happen fast. Plan to be online the second they go live, or brace for the resale chaos.
- Secondary sites are necessary evil. Use multiple ones, set alerts religiously.
- Prices fluctuate wildly. Initial resale is often highest, then maybe a dip before another pre-game panic rise.
- Look beyond pure ticket sellers. Promotions, credit card perks, partnerships like that Taobao NBA thing can sometimes offer alternatives.
- Patience & Diligence Pay. Constantly checking alerts and being ready to jump is the only way without breaking the bank.
That’s how I got my spot for the Blazers-Spurs game. Wasn’t easy, wasn’t cheap, but seeing those teams, especially Victor and that young Spurs core? Gonna be worth every penny and the grey hairs I probably got finding them.
