Have you ever found out your favorite band was coming but all the tickets are sold out just one day after they went on sale? And have you ever wondered how that happened? Here’s the answer: pre sale codes. Pre sale codes are available for most big shows and they give you access to tickets before they go on sale to the general public. Ticket brokers use them all the time to buy tickets early and then put them on the resale market (marketplaces like StubHub, SeatGeek, etc.). We’ll show you where to find presale codes so you don’t get stuck missing your favorite shows ever again.
Primary Ticket Providers Always Got the Pre Sale Access Codes
(Warning: This only works if your band is playing HUGE venues. Small venues don’t usually have pre sale codes. If the band you follow sells out stadiums, they have pre sale codes. If the band you follow only fills up 500 person venues, they probably don’t. )
“Presale Codes Don’t Fall into Your Lap. You Have to Know When the Concert You Want is Happening and Then Go Find the Codes”
Usually, the primary ticket provider will send out access codes well before the show goes on sale. For big shows, this is usually Ticketmaster, but other companies like AXS also send out pre sale codes too. You’re going to have to be active and search for their codes the minute the tour is announced.
Also, Live Nation, they own Ticketmaster, will send out their own codes. Once you know your favorite band is coming, start searching the internet for keywords like “Live nation pre sale {your favorite band name here}”, you will inevitably find sites that tell you how to sign up to get early access to tickets.
Fan and Band Sites Got Them Too
Seated is a site that allows bands to connect directly with fans. Sometimes, bands will give out their codes through Seated. You’ll have to sign up with Seated, but the process is painless. Also, signing up to Seated gives them permission to send you updates on your favorite bands and when they’re coming to you.
Lastly, check your favorite band’s site and sign up for their mailing list. Sure, they’re gonna send out lots of updates to buy merch you may not want, but sometimes they send out codes that give you early access to buy tickets to their show. Taylor Swift did this (we got pre sale access codes to land VIP tickets for $400. You can read more about it here) and Green Day just did for their tour next year.