I was wondering if it is common practice for NBA arenas to say they are sold out of the cheapest seats so that you have to buy more expensive ones. I recently went to a Hornets game in Charlotte and was told I had to buy 29.00 tickets because all the less expensive seats were sold. After paying and getting inside, we noticed many of the seats "upstairs" were closed off and many of the rest were empty! It cost me way more for 5 people than I had planned to pay and in retrospect, I wish I had complained. What is the legality in this situation? It seems like it should be illegal to me.

If the "upstairs" is closed, then the tix aren't for sale. Duh. Empty seats don't mean unsold seats necessarily, either. The Hornets are trying to leave Charlotte so lots of people with tickets simply aren't attending. The team can't sell you something that's already sold!

This is a travel question???

$29 bucks? Tracy, you have got to be kidding. Here in the real world NYC knicks tickets go for up to $1500. a seat. Sounds like you got a pretty good deal.

There's nothing illegal in what they did. They can sell--or NOT sell--any tickets they please.

Paying $1500 to see an awful, overhyped, overpaid, underperforming team that's basically quit is UNreal.

I paid $80/ticket for seats that were almost courtside and watched a much more exciting team in New Jersey which recently destroyed the Knicks .

Tracy, I've been to MANY events that were "sold out" and thousands of seats were available. These folks in Charlotte have low attedance and want to sell tickets so if you were told $29 was the cheapest available then I suspect it probably was the cheapest available.

All that everyone has told you is true--the upper level has been closed off due to poor attendance. You might have done better to look for sellers outside and bargain with them. The ticket office really did sell you the least expensive that they had. The empty seats are probably season ticket holder no shows.