How resale sites have tickets before the presale
Resale sites show tickets before the presale because some sellers already hold tickets or expect to get them. In the 14 days before their first stated presale, 1,221 of the 1,232 US concerts in the sample (99%) already had resale listings, and 944 had 10 or more.
Where those early listings come from
Several things can put a listing up before the public can buy. Season ticket holders and members hold seats before any presale opens. Some presales run before the first date a venue states. A theater run sells its earlier dates first, and a listing can point at a later night. Some sellers list tickets they expect to buy and promise delivery later; marketplaces call these speculative listings, and each sets its own rules for them.
How common it is in other categories
Of 384 games in the sample, 98% had listings before their first presale. Of 1,240 theater shows, 99% had listings.
What to check before you buy early
Read the delivery date on the listing and the marketplace's guarantee. The guarantee is what covers you if the seller cannot deliver.
Sample events with the earliest listings
- 2026 Big Ten Football Championship213 tickets listed 105 days out
- The Red Clay Strays, Dec 51,940 tickets listed 104 days out
- Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons6,984 tickets listed 104 days out
- Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots3,573 tickets listed 104 days out
- Indiana Pacers at Atlanta Hawks2,554 tickets listed 102 days out
Questions
- Why does StubHub have tickets for sale before presale?
- Season ticket holders, earlier presales, earlier dates of a run and sellers who list tickets they expect to get. 99% of the concerts in the sample had resale listings before their first presale.
- How does StubHub sell tickets before they're released?
- The seller lists the tickets and the marketplace holds the sale until delivery. The marketplace guarantee covers you if the seller cannot deliver.
See how many seats each presale released for your event on Ticker.