It is likely scalping reduces the total effective supply. Presumably, scalpers do not successfully unload 100% of tickets before the event, any unsold go unused

It is likely scalping reduces the total effective supply. Presumably, scalpers do not successfully unload 100% of tickets before the event, any unsold go unused. It is possible (and would depend on demand elasticity and proportion of tickets scalped) that scalpers might have an incentive to intentionally remove tickets in the same way a monopolist has incentive to artificially restrict supply. If prices on the remaining tickets increase more than the price of the unsold ticket, they’re money ahead. This probably isn’t happening, but could in theory.