Seahawks fans are the best in the NFL. They have set records for noise, false starts, and even briefly caused the league to penalize home fans for being too loud. A number of factors have caused an erosion of the home field advantage across the NFL, including in Seattle. The team has taken an important step by warning season ticket holders about reselling too many of their tickets. There are still, however, legitimate reasons people will need to sell tickets and there is no current solution that allows Seahawks fans to be sure their seats will be filled by other Seahawks fans. Until now. Today, the HB Ticket Exchange is live and ready for use!
Announcing HB Ticket Exchange (BETA)!
The manual solution I created last season to facilitate the sale of Seahawks tickets to Seahawks fans was far more popular than I could have imagined. Hundreds of tickets were sold successfully in just two weeks. That served as proof that there was demand for a service like this, but also that the solution was not scalable given the dozens of hours I was spending managing the process.
Many folks have asked if I was going to continue the service this season. Before I committed to doing it, I needed to find ways to address some of the issues I found last year:
- Seahawks fan verification
- While there was some filtering of who joined the registry based on it primarily being shared through my social media accounts (most of my followers are Seahawks fans), there were still some questionable sign-ups
- Reduce potential for scams
- Almost every listing was legit, but a couple scammers found their way in. Nobody was scammed, but this would only increase as the service increases in size and awareness.
- Increase confidence in the ticket sale/purchase process
- It is always nerve-wracking doing peer-to-peer purchases as the seller worries if they pay before they get the tickets, they might get ripped off, and the buyer is worried that if they transfer the tickets before being paid, they might get ripped off.
- Minimize my involvement as a middle man
- I simply don’t have the time (or desire) to manage this to the level I did last year. I can see a clear path to making this a successful business, but I don’t want to start another business. I just want to help put Seahawks fans in seats.
How HB Ticket Exchange (BETA) Will Work
The core idea behind HB Ticket Exchange remains the same: connecting Seahawks fans who want to sell tickets with Seahawks fans who want to buy them. This year, however, the process will be more streamlined, more secure, and less reliant on my direct involvement.
The process will look something like this:
- Join the Exchange: Interested Seahawks fans will join the HB Ticket Exchange through a dedicated platform (more on this below).
- Listing Tickets: Sellers will create a listing for their available tickets, specifying game, seating location, and price.
- Fan-to-Fan Connection: Buyers will browse available listings and connect directly with sellers.
- Guided Transaction: Once a match is made, the transaction will occur through a secure, recommended method (details below).
- Ticket Transfer: After payment is confirmed, the seller will digitally transfer the tickets to the buyer.
Mitigating the Issues: Our Approach
To address the challenges identified last season, HB Ticket Exchange will implement several key strategies:
Seahawks Fan Verification
To ensure that only true Seahawks fans are using the platform, we’ll be implementing a multi-pronged approach to verification. Initially, access to the HB Ticket Exchange will be open to everyone. In order to reduce the likelihood of scammers or opposing fans ruining the fun, each logged in user will have a profile that will indicate if they are a member of my Patreon community. This allows me to leverage the existing community of verified fans and provides a baseline level of trust. We’ll also ask users to add their Discord handle so you can chat with the person directly via the HB Discord Community. While not foolproof, this layered approach will significantly reduce the likelihood of non-fans infiltrating the system. Furthermore, we’ll be introducing a “Vouch” system, allowing established members to vouch for new or existing users, providing an additional layer of community trust.
Reducing Potential for Scams
This is a critical area of focus. While we can’t eliminate all risk, we can significantly reduce it by:
- Platform-Based Trust Signals: The platform we choose will have features that allow for seller vouches, building a community-driven trust system. Users with consistently positive feedback will instill more confidence.
- Recommended Transaction Methods: We will strongly recommend and guide users towards secure payment platforms that offer buyer and seller protections (e.g., PayPal Goods & Services). While we won’t directly facilitate payments, providing clear guidance on safe practices is paramount.
- Clear Reporting Mechanism: Users will have an easy way to report suspicious activity or potential scams. Prompt action will be taken on reported accounts to protect the community.
Increasing Confidence in the Ticket Sale/Purchase Process
The anxiety around peer-to-peer transactions is real. To alleviate this, we’ll focus on:
- Trust Level: User profiles will show whether a user is an HB Patron, and whether they have a Discord handle so you can communicate prior to the transaction in a simple and quick method. You also have a higher potential chance to have prior experience with the seller or buyer if you participate in the HB Discord community, where you can also see evidence that the person is a real Seahawks fan.
- Community Vouching System: As mentioned above, the “Vouch” system will also contribute significantly here. When a user is vouched for by another trusted member, this will be visible on their profile, giving potential buyers or sellers more confidence in their reliability.
- Escrow-like Best Practices (via recommended payment methods): By emphasizing and guiding users towards payment platforms with built-in protections, we can effectively create a pseudo-escrow environment where funds are held until tickets are confirmed transferred.
- Clear Communication Guidelines: We’ll provide best practices for communication between buyers and sellers, encouraging transparency and clear expectations.
- Banning Bad Actors (and 49ers Fans) We will ban user’s without hesitation if they are found to be a scammer or an opposing fan. If need be, we will limit access for the exchange to only HB Patreon members.
Minimizing My Involvement as a Middle Man
This is where the power of technology comes in. While I’ll be overseeing and curating the community, the day-to-day management of ticket listings and connections will be handled by the chosen platform. My role will shift from managing individual transactions to:
- Community Moderation: Ensuring the rules are followed and addressing any disputes or issues that arise.
- Platform Management: Overseeing the technical aspects of the exchange and making improvements based on user feedback.
- Promotion and Outreach: Continuing to grow the community of genuine Seahawks fans.
- Paying For the System: This service will cost me a fair amount of money to run, and a lot of my time. I would greatly appreciate support via Patreon or tipping.
Demonstration
You can watch this video where I walk through how the site works.
When Can You Join?
Now! Head over to the HB Ticket Exchange (BETA) and sign up for free. Start listing tickets and vouching for fellow Seahawk fans.
Become a Part of a Great Seahawks Community!
If you’re a passionate Seahawks fan and you’re interested in being part of this exciting new solution for buying and selling tickets, I highly recommend you head over to my Patreon and join the community now! Being a Patreon supporter will grant you early access and priority invitation to the HB Ticket Exchange once it launches. This is the best way to ensure you’re among the first to benefit from this dedicated fan-to-fan platform.
Let’s get those seats filled with true 12s again! Go Hawks!