Plans change. A work trip lands on game night, a friend bails, or you bought two tickets during a presale and realized you only need one. Whatever the reason, selling an extra ticket is significantly easier than most first-time sellers expect — and doing it well means understanding a few basics before you list.
Here’s how to go from ticket holder to seller without the stress.
Before You List: Four Things to Confirm
Rushing a listing without checking the basics is the fastest way to create problems. Take five minutes to verify these before you post anything.
1. What kind of ticket do you have? Mobile transfer, PDF, or physical? Each delivers differently and appeals to different buyers. Mobile transfer is what most buyers prefer — instant, secure, and compatible with mobile-only venues. Confirm which format you’re working with before you write your listing description.
2. Is the ticket transferable? Some tickets purchased through team apps or official presales are tied to an account and require transfer through a specific platform. Log into wherever you purchased and confirm you can initiate a transfer to another account. If the ticket is account-locked, that affects how you list and what you tell buyers.
3. What are the event specifics? For NBA and NHL season openers specifically, check for any pregame ceremonies, banner raises, or special events that might affect demand. A star player returning from injury or a championship banner ceremony significantly changes the market for that ticket. Check the team’s official channels in the week of the game.
4. What’s the current market? Search the same section and comparable sections on StubHub before you set your price. Look at both active listings and any recently sold prices if visible. That scan tells you where buyers are actually transacting, not just where sellers are hoping to transact, which helps in setting a price that moves.
Pricing: How to Set a Number That Works
Pricing feels like guesswork until you build a framework around it. A few principles that hold consistently:
Start with comparables, not feelings. What are similar seats in your section currently listed for? What have seats nearby recently sold for? Those numbers are your anchor. Pricing significantly above comparables means your listing gets skipped; pricing significantly below means leaving money on the table. The sweet spot is usually at or slightly below active listings for comparable inventory, especially if you want a faster sale.
Factor in timing. For high-demand events like NBA and NHL openers, particularly in markets with strong fan bases or marquee opponents, list as early as possible. Buyers who plan ahead tend to pay more than last-minute buyers. If you list two to three weeks out and price competitively, you capture that more patient, less price-sensitive buyer.
Work backward from your target net. Seller fees on resale platforms typically run in the 10–15% range. If you need to net a specific amount, add the fee percentage to your target to arrive at your asking price. Build this into your pricing from the start rather than discovering it when your payout arrives.
Adjust as the event approaches. If your ticket hasn’t moved a week out, drop the price incrementally. 10% at a time is a reasonable cadence. Last-minute buyers exist for almost every event, but they’re hunting for value, and a listing priced above the market won’t convert them. A sold ticket at a slightly lower price is always better than an unsold one.
Single vs. Pair: Which to List
If you’re selling two tickets, you have a choice: list them together, list them separately, or do both simultaneously.
Pairs typically sell at a slightly higher total price per transaction — buyers who want two seats together will pay a small premium for the convenience. Singles, however, expand your buyer pool considerably. A single seat at a major event often sells faster than a pair because solo buyers, last-minute deciders, and fans who couldn’t find a companion all compete for the same inventory.
Delivery: Getting the Ticket to the Buyer
Mobile transfer is the standard delivery method on StubHub, and it’s what most buyers expect. It’s instant, secure, and works across the mobile-only entry systems that most major NBA and NHL arenas now require. If your ticket is a mobile transfer, say so explicitly in your listing, because it’s a selling point.
One move you should make before you list is to pre-upload your tickets to StubHub. Doing this ahead of time means the transfer to your buyer happens automatically once the sale confirms, with no action required from you at the moment of sale. It removes friction on both sides and reduces the chance of a delayed transfer creating problems close to the event.
For physical tickets, StubHub provides a FedEx shipping label so you can get them to the buyer quickly and with tracking. Ship as soon as the sale confirms rather than waiting so that buyers feel more confident once they have confirmation the ticket is in transit, and it protects you if any delivery questions arise later.
Timing Your Listing
For most events, earlier is better. Buyers who plan ahead — the ones who block the date, arrange travel, coordinate friends — tend to convert at higher prices than last-minute buyers who are weighing whether to bother.
That said, timing strategy shifts by event type:
High-demand openers and rivalry games: List two to four weeks out. Demand is predictable and buyers are motivated. Price at or slightly above your target and let interest develop.
Events with breaking news: A major roster change, a star player returning from injury, or an opponent announcement can shift demand quickly. If something significant happens in the days before your event, check comparable prices before assuming your existing listing is still priced right. Markets move fast around big news cycles.
Last-minute selling: If you’re listing within 48 hours of the event, price to move rather than to maximize. Last-minute buyers are looking for value and speed, so a listing priced at market rate with instant mobile transfer will convert. A listing priced above market won’t, no matter how urgent the messaging.
What to Expect From Your Payout
Seller fees on StubHub typically are a flat 10% of the sale price. Your payout processes after the buyer confirms successful entry, which is standard for most reputable platforms, since it protects buyers from paying for tickets that don’t work at the gate.
Payout speed and available methods vary. If you need funds quickly, check which payout options process fastest and whether there are any associated fees. For sellers moving multiple tickets across a season, understanding the payout cadence upfront means no surprises in the days after a sale.
Quick Answers
How quickly do NBA and NHL season opener tickets typically sell?
For marquee openers in strong markets, competitive listings can move within days. Last-minute sales happen too, especially for mobile transfer listings with clear descriptions. If yours sits more than a week without activity, the price or description likely needs adjustment.
Should I sell seats together or separately?
List both options simultaneously if you have two seats. Pairs attract buyers who need both; singles expand your audience. Whichever sells first, cancel the other listing.
Can I change the name on a ticket if the venue requires ID?
Some venues allow name changes through the team’s ticketing system during transfer; others don’t. Check before you list and disclose the situation if the name can’t be changed — buyers need that information before they commit.
What if the event is cancelled after I sell?
Follow StubHub’s seller policies, which outline your obligations if an event is cancelled or postponed. The platform’s buyer protection policies govern refunds from the buyer side, and seller responsibilities are clearly documented in the platform’s terms.
How do I handle a buyer who wants to pay outside the platform?
Decline. Off-platform transactions remove the protections that make resale safe for both parties. If a buyer insists, it’s a signal to walk away from the transaction.
Related From the StubHub Newsroom
- Mobile Ticketing 101: Everything You Need to Know
- The Psychology of Ticket Pricing: Why Prices Fluctuate
- What to Do If Your Event Gets Cancelled: A Buyer’s Guide
Further Reading
- The Best Time to Buy Resale Concert Tickets, According to Data — Rolling Stone