Ticketing, seating and live-event language can be confusing, and the same word can mean different things at a ballpark, an arena and a Broadway theater. This glossary defines the terms you will meet on seating charts, ticket listings and venue policies, from all-in pricing to will call, in plain language.
Where a GoodSeats guide covers a term in more depth, the entry points to it. Policies such as bag rules, re-entry and refunds vary by venue and change over time, so check the venue's current policy before you go.
A
- Accessible seating
- Seats designed for guests who use wheelchairs or have mobility, hearing or vision needs, usually with an adjacent companion seat. Venues list their locations on the seating map and sell them through the box office or primary seller.
- Aisle seat
- The seat at the end of a row, next to the stairs. It makes trips to concessions and restrooms easier, though passing foot traffic can block the view for a moment.
- Alcohol-free section
- A seating area where alcohol may not be brought or consumed, offered by many stadiums and ballparks for families and other fans who prefer it.
- All-in pricing
- Showing the full price of a ticket, including mandatory fees, from the first price a buyer sees. A Federal Trade Commission rule requiring total-price disclosure for live-event tickets took effect May 12, 2025. See Ticket Fees Explained.
- Amphitheater
- An outdoor venue with seats or a lawn rising in a semicircle around a covered stage. Many host touring concerts from late spring through early fall.
- Arena
- An indoor venue, usually of about 10,000 to 20,000 seats, built for basketball, hockey and concerts. Seating wraps around a floor that can be reset for each event. See Arena vs. Stadium.
B
- Bag check
- A paid or free service, usually outside the gates, that holds bags that do not meet a venue's bag policy. Not every venue offers one, so check before leaving bags behind. See Stadium Bag Policies.
- Balcony
- A high seating tier in a theater or concert hall, above the mezzanine. Balcony seats are usually steeper and farther from the stage.
- Barcode
- The scannable code on a ticket that grants entry. Many mobile tickets now use a rotating barcode that refreshes every few seconds, so a screenshot will not scan. See How Mobile Ticket Transfer Works.
- Behind home plate
- The seats directly behind the catcher at a baseball game, offering a view down the line of each pitch. The lowest rows look through a protective net. See The Best Seats at a Baseball Game.
- Bleachers
- Bench seating, often without backs, typically in the outfield of a ballpark. Bleachers are usually among the less expensive seats and are often in full sun. See The Best Seats at a Baseball Game.
- BOTS Act
- The Better Online Ticket Sales Act of 2016, a federal law that bans using software to get around ticket purchase limits or security measures. The Federal Trade Commission enforces it.
- Box office
- The venue's own ticket window, where tickets are sold in person and will-call orders are picked up. Hours vary, and many open only on event days.
- Box seats
- Small seating areas set apart from the main sections, such as side boxes in a theater or field boxes at a ballpark. Theater boxes often view the stage at a sharp angle.
- Broker
- A business that buys tickets in quantity and resells them on the secondary market. Brokers supply much of the resale inventory for popular events. See Are Resale Tickets Legit?.
C
- Camping pass
- A festival add-on that permits overnight stays on or near the grounds, from tent sites to car camping and prebuilt tents. It is usually sold separately from the festival pass. See Music Festivals.
- Capacity
- The number of people a venue holds for a given event. Capacity changes with the configuration, so a stadium's football and concert figures often differ. See NFL Stadiums by Capacity.
- Clear-bag policy
- A venue rule that allows only transparent bags of a set size, plus a small clutch. As of 2026, NFL stadiums allow clear bags up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches. See Stadium Bag Policies.
- Club level
- A seating level, usually between the lower and upper decks, with wider seats and access to a private indoor lounge and concessions. See The Best Seats at an NFL Game.
- Companion seat
- A standard seat next to a wheelchair space, sold so a guest's companion can sit alongside.
- Complimentary ticket
- A ticket issued at no charge by a team, artist, producer or venue, often called a comp. Comps come from held inventory and are not sold to the public.
- Configuration
- The way a venue is set up for a particular event, such as an end-stage concert, an in-the-round show or a basketball game. The configuration changes which seats are sold and which have the best views. See How to Read a Seating Chart.
- Courtside
- Seats on the floor at the edge of a basketball court. They are the closest seats in the building and usually the most expensive. See Floor Seats vs. Lower Bowl.
- Curfew
- The time by which a show must end, often set by local rules at outdoor venues. A curfew affects how long the headliner can play.
D
- Dark day
- A day when a theater has no performance. Many Broadway shows are dark on Mondays, though schedules vary by show. See Broadway.
- Delivery method
- How a ticket reaches the buyer, such as mobile transfer, electronic download, will call or a mailed wristband. Resale listings state the method and the expected delivery date. See How Mobile Ticket Transfer Works.
- Doors
- The time the venue opens to ticket holders, usually an hour or more before the first act. It is listed separately from the show start time. See First Concert Tips.
- Dugout
- The sunken bench area along each baseline where a baseball team sits. Seats near the home dugout are popular with fans of the home team. See The Best Seats at a Baseball Game.
- Dynamic pricing
- Ticket prices that change with demand, the way airline fares do. Primary sellers and resale markets both use it, so the price for the same seat can rise or fall over time. See When Do Ticket Prices Drop?.
E
- Early entry
- An add-on or package benefit that lets ticket holders enter before general doors, often to claim a spot near the stage in a general admission area.
- End stage
- A concert setup with the stage at one end of an arena or stadium. Seats behind the stage are usually blocked off or sold as limited view. See The Best Seats at a Concert.
- End zone
- The scoring area at each end of a football field, and the seating sections behind it. End-zone seats see plays coming toward them clearly but lose depth on action at the far end. See The Best Seats at an NFL Game.
F
- Face value
- The price printed on or originally assigned to a ticket by the primary seller, before fees. Resale prices can be above or below face value. See Are Resale Tickets Legit?.
- Fan club presale
- An early sale limited to members of an artist's or team's fan club, usually unlocked with a code tied to the member's account.
- Festival pass
- A ticket that grants entry to a festival site for one day or the full event, rather than a specific seat. Passes are often sold in tiers such as GA, GA+ and VIP. See Music Festivals.
- Floor seats
- Seats or standing room on the level surface of an arena or stadium in front of the stage. Being close comes with a flat view, so taller people in front can block the stage. See Floor Seats vs. Lower Bowl.
- Foul pole
- The tall pole at the end of each foul line in a ballpark. Seats beside or behind it can have a partial obstruction. See The Best Seats at a Baseball Game.
- Front mezzanine
- The first rows of a theater's raised mezzanine tier. They show the full stage picture and are a common choice for large musicals. See Broadway.
G
- GA+
- An upgraded general admission tier offered by some festivals, adding amenities such as a separate entrance, shaded lounges or better restrooms. See Music Festivals.
- General admission
- A ticket that grants entry to an area without an assigned seat, abbreviated GA. Spots are first come, first served, so arrival time decides the view. See The Best Seats at a Concert.
- Glass seats
- The front-row seats at a hockey game, directly against the protective glass around the rink.
- Grandstand
- A large, often roofed seating structure, used at ballparks, racetracks and golf or tennis events. At some older ballparks, grandstand seats can sit behind support columns.
H
- Headliner
- The main act on a concert bill or festival lineup, usually performing last and for the longest set.
- Hold
- A ticket kept back from public sale for the artist, team, promoter or venue. Some held seats are released closer to the event.
- Hospitality package
- A ticket bundled with extras such as premium seats, food and drink, parking or a pregame event. Packages are common for major events like the Super Bowl. See Super Bowl.
- House seats
- Prime theater seats held by the producers or theater for VIPs, cast and creative team guests. Unused house seats are sometimes released for sale.
I
- In the round
- A concert setup with the stage in the middle of the floor and seats on every side, so no section is behind the stage. See The Best Seats at a Concert.
- In-hand date
- The date by which a resale seller expects to have the tickets and deliver them. Listings before that date are sold on the seller's promise to deliver.
- Infield
- In baseball, the seating area between first and third base, closest to most of the action. At racetracks, the infield is the area inside the oval. See The Best Seats at a Baseball Game.
L
- Lawn seats
- General admission grass areas at amphitheaters, usually behind the reserved seats. Lawns are casual and often the least expensive option, with distant views.
- Limited view
- A seat label meaning part of the stage, field or screens is blocked or seen from an extreme angle. Limited-view seats are typically priced lower. See Obstructed and Limited View Seats.
- Listing
- A ticket or group of tickets offered for sale on a marketplace, showing the section, row, quantity, price and delivery method.
- Loge
- A term for a premium seating area. Depending on the venue, it can mean the front of the mezzanine, a level of semi-private boxes or an intermediate seating deck.
- Lottery
- A random drawing for the right to buy tickets, used for discounted Broadway seats and for some high-demand events. Entrants who win get a limited time to pay. See Broadway.
- Lower bowl
- The first ring of seating sections above the field, court or floor, usually numbered in the 100s. It balances closeness with a raised view. See Floor Seats vs. Lower Bowl.
M
- Matinee
- A daytime performance, most often in theater. Broadway matinees are common on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Mezzanine
- A raised seating tier between the main floor and the upper levels. In theaters it sits above the orchestra; in stadiums it is often an intermediate level. See Broadway.
- Mobile ticket
- A ticket stored in an app or digital wallet and scanned from a phone. Many venues now accept only mobile tickets. See How Mobile Ticket Transfer Works.
N
- National tour
- A touring production of a Broadway show that plays a series of cities, usually staying one to several weeks in each. See Theater.
- Nosebleed seats
- Informal term for the highest and farthest seats in a venue, usually in the upper deck.
O
- Obstructed view
- A seat with something physically in the way, such as a column, railing, overhang, camera platform or sound equipment. Sellers should disclose it in the listing. See Obstructed and Limited View Seats.
- On-sale
- The date and time tickets are first offered to the general public, after any presales. See Buying Event Tickets.
- Opening act
- A performer who plays before the headliner, also called the support act or opener.
- Orchestra
- The ground-level seating area of a theater, closest to the stage. Center orchestra seats are generally the most expensive in the house. See Broadway.
- Overhang
- The underside of an upper tier that extends over the rows below. Seats under an overhang are shaded and sheltered but can lose the view of high action, scoreboards or the top of a stage set. See Obstructed and Limited View Seats.
P
- Parking pass
- A ticket that reserves or pays for parking at a specific lot for an event. Some venues sell parking only in advance.
- Partial view
- Another term for limited view: a seat from which part of the performance area is not visible. See Obstructed and Limited View Seats.
- Personal seat license
- A one-time purchase that gives the holder the right to buy season tickets for a specific seat, used by many NFL teams and some college programs. It is often abbreviated PSL.
- Pit
- A standing general admission area directly in front of a concert stage, sometimes sold as a separate ticket from the rest of the floor.
- Platinum tickets
- A label some primary ticket sellers use for seats sold at prices that move with demand. They are sold by the primary seller and are not resale tickets. See When Do Ticket Prices Drop?.
- Playoffs
- The postseason tournament that follows a league's regular season. Playoff tickets typically go on sale on short notice once matchups and home games are set. See NFL Playoffs.
- A general term for seats that come with extra amenities, such as club seats, suites, courtside seats and field-level clubs.
- Presale
- A sale held before the general on-sale for a limited group, such as fan club members, cardholders or registered fans. Presales can account for a large share of the best seats. See Buying Event Tickets.
- Presale code
- A password that unlocks a presale. Codes are distributed through fan clubs, email lists, credit card programs or venue newsletters.
- Primary market
- The first sale of tickets, by the team, venue, promoter or their ticketing company. See Buying Event Tickets.
- Proscenium
- The arch that frames the stage in a traditional theater. In a proscenium house, the audience faces the stage from one direction.
- Purchase limit
- The maximum number of tickets one buyer may purchase for an event, set by the primary seller to spread tickets among more fans.
R
- Rain or shine
- A policy stating that an outdoor event goes ahead regardless of weather. It usually means no refund for rain alone.
- Re-entry policy
- A venue's rule on whether ticket holders may leave and come back in. Many venues do not allow re-entry. See Event Day: What to Know Before You Go.
- Rear mezzanine
- The back rows of a theater's mezzanine. They are farther from the stage but often priced lower than the front mezzanine. See Broadway.
- Refund
- Money returned for a ticket. Refund rules differ between primary sellers and resale marketplaces and usually depend on whether the event is canceled, postponed or moved.
- Resale
- The sale of a ticket by someone other than the original seller, also called the secondary market. Prices are set by the seller and can be above or below face value. See Are Resale Tickets Legit?.
- Residency
- A run of shows by one artist at a single venue over weeks or months, common in Las Vegas. See Sphere.
- RFID wristband
- A fabric or plastic band with an embedded chip that is scanned at the gate, used as the ticket at many festivals. It is often mailed in advance and may need to be registered online. See Music Festivals.
- Row
- A line of seats within a section, identified by a letter or number. Row 1 or A is usually closest to the stage or field, though some venues start with letters such as AA. See How to Read a Seating Chart.
- Rush
- Discounted tickets sold on the day of a performance, either at the box office or through an app. Rush is common on Broadway and supplies are small. See Broadway.
S
- Season tickets
- A package of tickets to every home game, or a defined share of them, for the same seats. Holders often get priority for playoff tickets.
- Seat number
- The number of a specific seat within a row. Some venues number seats consecutively across a section, while others use odd numbers on one side and even on the other. See How to Read a Seating Chart.
- Seating chart
- A map of a venue showing its sections, levels and, often, rows and seat numbers for a given configuration. See How to Read a Seating Chart.
- Secondary market
- The marketplace for resale tickets, made up of fans and brokers selling tickets they already bought. See Are Resale Tickets Legit?.
- Section
- A numbered or named block of seats. Section numbers usually indicate the level, so section 112 is typically on the lower level and section 312 higher up. See How to Read a Seating Chart.
- Service fee
- A charge added to the ticket price by the seller for processing an order. Under the FTC's 2025 rule, mandatory fees must be included in the total price shown. See Ticket Fees Explained.
- Side stage
- Seats to the left or right of a concert stage, close to the performers but viewing the show at an angle. Some are sold as limited view. See Obstructed and Limited View Seats.
- Sideline
- The long sides of a football field, where sections between the 20-yard lines give the most balanced view of play. See The Best Seats at an NFL Game.
- Sightline
- The line of sight from a seat to the stage, field or court. A good sightline is clear of railings, heads, overhangs and equipment. See View From Your Seat.
- Single-game tickets
- Tickets for one game, as opposed to season tickets or ticket plans. Single-game tickets usually go on sale after season ticket holders are served.
- Sold out
- Status meaning the primary seller has no tickets left for an event. Tickets may still be available on the resale market. See Are Resale Tickets Legit?.
- Speculative listing
- A resale listing for tickets the seller does not yet own, sold on the promise of buying them later. Some states restrict or ban the practice.
- Stadium
- A large outdoor or roofed venue, usually of 40,000 seats or more, built for football, baseball or soccer and also used for major concert tours. See Arena vs. Stadium.
- Stage left and stage right
- Directions given from the performer's point of view facing the audience. Stage left is the audience's right.
- Standing room
- Tickets for a standing position rather than a seat, abbreviated SRO. On Broadway, standing room is usually at the back of the orchestra and sold when a performance is sold out. See Broadway.
- Student section
- A block of seats at a college venue reserved for current students, often the loudest part of the stadium or arena.
- Suite
- A private room with seats overlooking the event, usually including food and drink service. Suites are sold to groups, often for a full season or a single event.
T
- Tailgating
- A pregame gathering in a stadium parking lot, with food and drink served from vehicles. Rules on tailgating vary by venue and change, so check before you go. See Event Day: What to Know Before You Go.
- Ticket scam
- A fraudulent ticket sale, such as a fake or duplicated ticket or a listing for tickets that do not exist. Paying through a marketplace with a guarantee and by credit card reduces the risk. See How to Avoid Ticket Scams.
- Ticket transfer
- Sending a mobile ticket from one account to another through the team's, venue's or ticketing company's app. Resale orders are often delivered this way. See How Mobile Ticket Transfer Works.
- TKTS
- Discount ticket booths run by the nonprofit Theatre Development Fund, selling same-day theater tickets, with locations in Times Square and at Lincoln Center. See Broadway.
U
- Upgrade
- An add-on that moves a ticket to a better tier or seat, or adds benefits such as early entry or lounge access.
- Upper deck
- The highest seating level in a stadium or arena, often numbered in the 300s or 400s. Seats are farther away but give a full view of the field and usually cost less. See How to Read a Seating Chart.
V
- Verified fan
- A registration-based presale system in which fans sign up in advance and selected registrants receive access to buy. Ticketmaster uses the name Verified Fan.
- VIP package
- A ticket bundled with extras such as premium seats, early entry, merchandise or a pre-show experience. Contents vary widely by artist or event.
- Virtual queue
- An online waiting room that holds buyers in line before letting them into a busy sale, often assigning places at random at the start time.
W
- Will call
- A pickup window at the venue where buyers collect tickets reserved under their name, usually with a photo ID and the card used to pay. See Event Day: What to Know Before You Go.
Y
- 50-yard line
- The midfield marker in American football. Sideline seats near it see both halves of the field equally, which is why the sections between the 20-yard lines are usually the most requested. See The Best Seats at an NFL Game.