In my third consecutive NBA afternoon game, the Orlando Magic embarrassed the Chicago Bulls 113-94. Dwight Howard had a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds, just as he did on Christmas Day and in 23 of his 30 games this season. It was the second Bulls game I have attended on New Year’s Eve – the first coming on December 31, 2001.

Obtaining Tickets
In a round about way, I ended up paying $20 for a $110 face value ticket and sat on the first level. However, the process to buying that ticket was unusual. Here is what happened:

1) I had tried to buy a $10 ticket earlier in the season for this game but they said they were sold out.
2) Assuming the $10 seats were sold out, I tried to buy a seat outside of the United Center for $10. However, a scalper had a $70 face value seat and somehow got me to pay $25 for it.
3) Annoyed I had paid so much; I went to the United Center box office and asked them how much their cheapest seat was – $10 the woman tells me.
4) Even more annoyed, I run into the woman scalper who recognizes me and sell the $70 ticket to her partner for $25.
5) I go back to the United Center box office to buy a $10 seat, but now the $10 seats are sold out.
6) Now super annoyed, I find a fan with an extra $110 seat. I offer him $20, he wants $40 but I tell him $20 is the most I will pay. Annoyed with me, he accepts the offer and I walk into the United Center.

It was not the most skilled secondary market session I have had, but I did end up paying a low price for a great seat.