Crook Resells Unwitting Chargers Fan's Tickets: Victim

A Chargers fan was turned away from Sunday's game after his tickets were resold on the NFL ticket exchange

An Oceanside Chargers fan thought buying tickets directly from the team would guarantee a hassle-free game day, but when he showed up Sunday, he learned that was not the case.

Antonio Gutierrez and his girlfriend were refused entry to the game against the New England Patriots because his tickets had been resold on the NFL Ticket Exchange website.

Gutierrez had bought his tickets at a stadium gate seven months in advance. He said can afford just one Sunday at Qualcomm per season, and he made up his mind early on that that game would be against the Patriots.

“It was a Sunday night game, Chargers-Patriots, playoff teams, Rivers verses Brady. I was more than excited for this game,” Gutierrez said.

It only compounded the disappointment when Antonio and his girlfriend were turned away before first kickoff. The seats were already taken.

“I thought it was the most legitimate way to go. This is the first time buying them at the stadium,” Gutierrez said.

In an email, Chargers front office spokesman Bill Johnston wrote to NBC7, "Mr. Gutierrez's tickets were purchased at the Chargers ticket windows in May. They were later resold in September on NFL Ticket Exchange, by whom is unknown at this time.”

The NFL Ticket Exchange is a website which, by most accounts, is as legitimate a place to purchase seats as the gate.

"NFL Ticket Exchange will continue to investigate the incident in hopes of determining who may have fraudulently posted and resold his tickets on the site," Johnston wrote.

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Gutierrez is concerned he may be a victim of his own excitement. Moments after purchasing them, he put this photo of the tickets on Pinterest.

While he blurred the barcode, somehow those numbers were used to duplicate the ticket, he said.

Now, Gutierrez is out $267, but the season is not a total loss.

“I definitely learned my lesson as far as the Chargers go. I love the Chargers; that is never going to change,” Gutierrez said.

He told NBC 7 he will buy his tickets at the gate again but will be more careful about who gets to see them.

Meantime, he is back on social media warning as many people as possible that posting pictures of tickets, no matter the event, could cost you your seat.

NBC 7’s Jim Laslavic reports on MLB Winter Meetings going on in San Diego and updates Chargers fans on center Nick Hardwick who has dropped about 65 pounds from his playing weight.
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