With baseball season now in full swing, be sure your tickets are the real deal. Buying on the secondary market can be useful for non-season ticket holders, occasional fans, or those making a last-minute decision to head to the ball park. But how do you know if the tickets are real?

BBB asked the National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB), a group whose members offer a 200% guarantee on tickets that don’t arrive in time for a game, concert or show. NATB says buying from one of their authorized ticket brokers is the safest way to purchase resale tickets for Major League Baseball.

BBB of Southern Arizona and NATB offer the following tips for safe ticket purchasing:

1. Check out the seller/broker. Look them up on bbb.org and check to see if they are a member of the NATB.
2. Know the difference between a ticket broker (legitimate and accredited reseller) and a ticket scalper (unregulated and unlicensed ticket seller).
3. Check the ticket broker’s refund policy. Only buy from a ticket reseller that provides clear details about the terms of the transaction.
4. Always use a credit card so you have some recourse; never use cash.
5. Always ask for section, row and seat number to avoid obstructed view seats or seats that do not exist.

Also, feel free to ask questions to make certain you get all the answers you need to feel comfortable with your ticket purchase.

A Texas company’s alleged business practices has sports boosters across the country crying foul, according to complaints lodged with Better Business Bureau.  Jam Sports Marketing has drawn dozens of complaints in recent years from business owners seeking to support sports teams from their local schools or colleges.

Jam Sports Marketing sells advertisement space on t-shirts, stadium seats, megaphones and other promotional items distributed at no cost to “parents, faculty and students,” the company says on its website.

However, some business owners alleged in complaints that the items on which they bought advertisement space were never handed out. And others alleged items such as t-shirts promoting local football teams were distributed too late, sometime after the football season had ended.

Jam Sports Marketing has an “F” rating with the BBB, the lowest grade possible.

On its website, the company calls itself a “national leader in representing both schools and businesses at the local community level.” In addition, the company touts its services as “the most efficient, reliable way for schools to receive no cost spirit products as well as … a powerful marketing distribution vehicle that directly targets a large influential customer base of local businesses.”

Several of its customers disagree in complaints. And when some sought refunds for missing or delayed (more…)