Muhammad Ali's family is not happy that scalpers are selling free tickets to his memorial
Ticket scalpers are selling tickets to Muhammad Ali's Friday memorial service that were originally free, and his family is upset by the "despicable act."
"It is deplorable that some people are trying to profit off of the solemn service as we celebrate the life of Muhammad Ali," Ali family spokesman Bob Gunnell told The Associated Press. Ali carefully planned his service, the family said, and insisted the tickets be free. The tickets were distributed on Wednesday, but fans began to stand in line outside the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville on Tuesday night, hoping to get one of 15,000 tickets available. The tickets were distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, and were gone in about an hour.
Soon after, ads began to pop up online, offering tickets at a premium. Gunnell said in Kentucky, selling a ticket for more than its face value is illegal and punishable by a fine of up to $250, and authorities are monitoring the advertisements. "I hope that those buying tickets or trying to buy tickets would stop those efforts by not purchasing," he added. "Muhammad Ali wanted this to be a free event, an event that was open to all."
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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