NFL ticket brokers often get a bad rap from fans. We frequently accuse brokers of soaking up tickets preventing true fans from being able to buy them directly.

There is also a reluctance to purchase from ticket brokers, fearing that we may be sold counterfeit tickets. I can completely understand the frustrations from fans as I am one of them myself.

However, NFL ticket brokers are not completely bad. In fact there are a few very good advantages of buying tickets from brokers. Here are a few of those advantages.

Get Tickets to Sold-Out Games

By using a ticket broker you can virtually always find seats available to sold-out games. If you are a Green Bay Packers fan then you know that getting tickets are next to impossible. That is unless of course you buy them from a broker. Yes, I know that you will pay a premium for those tickets, but at least they are available.

Many popular NFL teams sell out their individual tickets within minutes or hours of being available to the general public. Because of this there are many disappointed fans that are unable to get tickets year after year.

If you just happen to be one of the people left out in the cold then ticket brokers can be a very good ally. You can be confident that no matter how impossible it may seem to get tickets, brokers will very likely have some available.

On the other hand if the NFL ticket broker did not exist you would be forced to watch your team on television every week, which we know is just not the same as watching it live.

Last Minute Tickets

Another advantage of buying from a ticket broker is that you are able to acquire tickets at the last minute. If you are like me "Stop Procrastinating" is at the top of your New Year's Resolutions list every single year. Well ticket brokers provide a valuable service for us procrastinators.

Many have tickets available right up until the day before the game. Sure you will have to pay more to have them shipped overnight, but hey that is the price of procrastination, right?

Some brokers will even have some available hours just before kickoff. They can do this by either offering electronic tickets that they send via e-mail (which you are able to print) or by agreeing to meet with you at the venue if they are local.

Wide Selection of Tickets

Many brokers specialize in obtaining the best seats to high in demand games. So if you are the type that likes to sit close enough to hear the coaches screaming then ticket brokers can provide you with that.

Brokers typically have a wide range of tickets available in each of the sections. So whether you are looking for skybox seats or the cheapest seats possible in the upper, upper deck you will be sure to find them with a good broker.

No Waiting in Line

Just as NFL ticket brokers can be of assistance to procrastinators, those who are challenged in the patience department will also be happy to know that the service that brokers provide look out for you as well.

For some very popular teams fans often stand in long lines or constantly call on the telephone to try to get through busy phone lines when individual tickets go on sale. With the popularity of selling tickets online this is not as much of an issue as in times past, but it does still exists.

With ticket brokers this hassle is nonexistent. You simply find the tickets that you want to buy online, purchase them and have them shipped to your home. You don't have to wait in line or press redial continuously to obtain tickets.

Ticket Marketplaces to Compare Prices

Brokers often use ticket marketplaces to list their supply for sale. At these sites there are multiple brokers and sometimes individuals that list their tickets.

The advantage of these marketplaces is that they allow you to compare prices right there on the spot instead of having to go from site to site to find the best deals. Also competition from numerous brokers helps to drive down the prices.

Some of the more popular ticket marketplaces are Stubhub.com and TicketsNow.com.

Although there are many advantages I am definitely not blind to the disadvantages of buying from a ticket broker, with the most obvious being higher cost. Because brokers try to buy at or below face value and sell above face value, you will likely pay more than face value for tickets.

Sometimes games can be sold for over 3 times face value or more for highly coveted match-ups.

So let's make it clear.

Yes, ticket brokers are in the business of making money. Yes, they sell tickets for more than face value. Yes, some of them may buy up supply that could have been sold directly to the fans.

Although, they are often seen as the bad guy, reliable ticket brokers do provide a valuable service and can be very useful at times. Don't think so? Just ask the people that went to the Super Bowl last year. I am quite sure that the ticket broker was their best pal.