Hey, are you still buying tickets online?
Good morning from the gateway — Lake Simcoe's awake, the 400 is already packed, and Barrie's got growing pains. Let's talk about it. Okay, so here's what's actually happening: the province's new legislation, the one that said you can't resell a ticket for more than its face value? Well, it turns out some sellers are just picking up stakes and moving to less-regulated markets. This means all that well-intentioned talk about making sure everyday fans could afford to see the Colts or a show at the Heritage Park Amphitheatre? It might just be making it harder to find tickets at all, especially for those big-name acts that barely even *glance* at Barrie when they're planning a tour, which is another story altogether.
### What This Means for Barrie
This is a really interesting one, because on paper, it sounded like a good idea, right? No more getting gouged for that highly anticipated concert, or those Friday night Colts tickets. But what happens when the people who *sell* those tickets just go somewhere else?
* **Fewer Options:** You might find fewer tickets available for those popular events right here in Barrie, because sellers just move their operations to places where they can set their own prices.
* **Driving Up Demand:** If tickets are harder to find through official channels or regulated resales, it could inadvertently push people to unregulated, less secure options.
* **Local Impact:** For a city like Barrie, where events at Sadlon Arena or the Memorial Square stage are a huge part of our community vibe, this could really change the game. It’s supposed to level the playing field, but it could just shrink the field entirely.
It just feels like another one of those situations where the intent is good, but the reality on the ground in places like Barrie — a city that's always trying to balance growth with local access — ends up being way more complicated. We want fair prices, but we also want access, and if sellers are just disappearing, what's left for us? It’s not just about the price tag, it’s about whether you can even *get* a ticket to see your kid's favourite band when they (rarely) come through town.
Tara Fenn-Orillia, MiTL Sports Desk, Barrie.
My pals on the morning show are always digging into stuff like this — tune in live at mornings.live!