Scalped Summerfest Side-Stage Tickets Are Now a Thing

With the exception of ticketed Marcus Amphitheater events, Summerfest concerts have always been first-come, first-seated affairs, but the festival\'s newest stage departs from that general-admission model. The $13.5 million, state-of-the-art <a href=\"http://www.summerfest.com/music/bmo-harris-pavilion-headliners/\">BMO Harris Pavilion</a> has designated its first 26 rows, which seat about 2,500, a ticketed “Blue Circle” area. Tickets for these prime seats are available for a $3 convenience fee on Ticketmaster, where customers can reserve up to four of them. <br /><br />That system has already invited exploitation. Blue Circle tickets for most of the stage\'s headliners sold out rapidly, with many of them popping up on ticket-selling sites just hours later. Want good seats to Ben Fold Five\'s June 28 concert? They\'re selling for between $8 and $62 on StubHub. Tickets for the Steve Miller Band\'s June 27 performance? They\'re running between $35 and $83. The best seats for Scorpions, Chicago and The Avett Brothers top out at $114, $135 and $150, respectively. Those prices are on top of Summerfest admission, which is separate. If that sounds like a lot, one Craigslist scalper <a href=\"http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/tix/3041746427.html\">selling Scorpions tickets for $70 a pop</a> makes his sales pitch thusly: &quot;YOU CAN GET TRAMPLED OR HAVE NICE SEATS!!!&quot;<br /><br />The BMO Harris Pavilion\'s reserved seats are no doubt convenient for those who manage to score them, but it\'s unfortunate seeing fans fleeced at a festival that has long prioritized access and affordability above all else. <br /><br />