BUYING SPORTS TICKETS IS, if you'll excuse the pun, a whole different ballgame from buying seats for a concert or play. Each game is distinct there are no repeat performances. And for that reason, it's awfully difficult to find bargain tickets for sporting events.

But there are some tricks you can employ to get hot tickets at close to face value and, therefore, a more memorable experience for the money. Here's how.

Plan ahead.Sorry, there's no TKTS. That's especially true if you're talking about popular teams, pivotal games, matches between rivals, season openers or championship events all of which sell out within minutes of availability. Your best chance for decently priced tickets for regular games comes during the first days of season ticket sales. After that, the sooner you plan, the better the price you're likely to find.

Think location. Before you start scouting prices, figure out which seats in the venue best meet your needs. If your goal is to see the individual beads of sweat on Shaquille O'Neal's forehead, you'll need a seat close to the action. Don't expect to find low-priced tickets there. But if you want to get the full scope of the game, your best bet might actually be to buy seats farther back, where you can see everything that happens, says David Guenther, president of Roadtrips.com, which sells travel packages of sports tickets and hotel rooms.

Take baseball. "If you can't see the skyline, the neighborhood, [or] if you can't track a pop fly, you aren't really getting the full experience," says Guenther. The cheaper seats in the middle or even upper decks might actually offer better views. Plus, they're more likely to be available closer to the game date.

Obviously, you want to avoid seats with obstructed or partially obstructed views. You should look at a map of the stadium before buying. Some teams, like the Indiana Pacers, make it easy, with a web site tool that lets you check out what you'd be able to see from various sections.

Go alone. (Or sit separately.) If you didn't buy early, single seats are the only easy way to catch a game at regular ticket prices. For $45, you can get a tier box seat overlooking left field at Yankee Stadium on May 23 to watch the New York Yankees play the Boston Red Sox. On the secondary market, two tickets in the same section could cost you as much as $80 each.

Pay attention to unused season-ticket resales. Most professional sports teams, as well as many minor league and college teams, offer a venue for season-ticket holders to sell seats they won't use. Pay attention, though, because each system is different: Some teams insist the ticket holders sell the seat at its original value, while other programs, like the San Francisco Giants' Double Play system, let the seller determine the price. Don't see a program posted on the team's web site? Call the ticket office and ask.

Be charitable. A few teams ask season-ticket holders to donate unused seats to charity (bonus: donations are tax-deductible). The charity then resells or auctions the tickets. Want to see a Green Bay Packers game? The local Boys & Girls Club resells unused season tickets at face value to support its community programs. (Last season's tickets had a face value of $54 to $67. On the secondary market, the cheapest was about $95, with most tickets selling for $200 or more.)

Buy secondhand from good sources. Secondhand prices for concert and Broadway tickets have nothing on what you'll pay to attend big sports events. (There were reports of Philadelphia Eagles fans refinancing their homes or taking out second mortgages to pay for tickets for the 2005 Super Bowl.) The dangers of buying fake tickets are greater than with other kinds of events, so buy only from sources that guarantee authentic tickets no eBay or scalpers.

Instead, check out ticket prices on sites such as StubHub and Ticketsnow. Both sites let individual sellers resell tickets, but they vet the sellers and tickets thoroughly.

If you're looking for tickets during the regular season, eBay might have some good offerings. Stick to established sellers with high feedback ratings. And watch out for auctions with a reserve price, which means the seller won't actually relinquish the ticket unless bids exceed a set amount.