‘Don’t Be a Sucker’ this holiday season

Things aren’t always what they seem on the internet. This gift-giving season beware when purchasing tickets from third-party sites, and always opt to visit Proctors Collaborative’s official sites only:

• proctors.org for tickets to Proctors in Schenectady;
• universalpresetvationhall.org for tickets to Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs;
• and capitalrep.org for Albany’s Capital Repertory Theatre.

Proctors Collaborative’s reintroduction of its “Don’t Be a Sucker” campaign comes ahead of a packed holiday show season, reminding audiences to be on the lookout for costly ticket scams and reseller web sites.

Reseller web sites often give the appearance of being affiliated with a venue, and tickets purchased there are almost always many times more expensive than the original ticket price. And too often the tickets sold there are illegitimate as well and won’t be accepted by the venue.  

Both scenarios are frequent occurrences at performing arts centers including Proctors. The unfortunate outcome can really put a damper on the holiday cheer. And it is avoidable. The best way to get a legitimate seat at the best price to any of our upcoming show is to buy directly from Proctors Collaborative venues. 

“The reality is many third-party sites pay to appear on top of the search engine results, and too many people assume the top listing links to the official venue site,” says Jim Murphy, director of marketing and corporate relations at Proctors Collaborative. “Using the phrase ‘don’t be a sucker’ in our messaging may be a little harsh. But we are saying it in a sarcastic way to get patrons’ attention and to introduce a little humor visually into a serious conversation.”   

In addition to visiting or web sites, there are two additional ways to purchase tickets: 

• call the Box Office at (518) 346-6204.  
• or visit Proctors Box Office at 432 State St. in Schenectady.

Proctors and its show partners are not responsible for redemption of – or refunds for – fraudulent tickets sold from third–party websites and individual resellers. If you consider buying from a third-party web site, learn best practices from the Better Business Bureau.  

Proctors, UPH and theREP are all part of Proctors Collaborative.