We are in the fourth quarter of the 118th Congress and the clock is ticking. Congress has just a few legislative days left to pass dozens of bills before the end of this session, and the next Congress will have to start from scratch writing bills. It is such a bill HR 3950The Act on Transparency of Charges for the Sale of Tickets to Key Events (TICKET Act). It would solve the problems that have plagued the live events industry for decades. It would require full ticket prices, ban speculative tickets, ban deceptive websites, require refunds for canceled or delayed shows, and require the Federal Trade Commission to report on the prevalence of bots used to buy tickets.
This bill has been two years in the making. The Senate Judiciary Committee held its first hearing of the 118th Congress in January 2023, when tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour went on sale after Ticketmaster’s system was taken down. The hearing highlighted many well-known issues in the industry. Since then, members of Congress have introduced more than half a dozen card-related bills to address these issues. However, only one bill has risen to the top: the TICKET Act (HR 3950).
The TICKET Act, introduced by Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Gus Bilirakis, unanimously passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee, he received the endorsement Almost all of the live action players involved in the political debate, then passed the House 388-24 by a larger margin than the last continuing resolution. The TICKET Act is even more popular than funding our government.
Consumer protection groups called bill, “a truly comprehensive reform package.” Recording Academy he said “It was an important step towards improving the concert ticket market. Coalition for ticket fairness he said “(b) By empowering consumers, this bill will contribute to a better ticketing experience and a healthier marketplace.” And, the Fix the Tix coalition of artists and independent venues he said The TICKET Act was “the most comprehensive ticket protection for artists and fans we’ve seen in years.”
The bill has universal support, so why is it in the Senate? Legislature inertia and good old-fashioned Senate politics are partly to blame, but monopoly-aligned special interests in the industry also want to stall the works in hopes of passing their preferred bills, even if those bills lack consensus support. . If the TICKET Act passes this Congress, fans could see all ticket prices for music festivals, baseball games and theater productions as soon as next summer. Instead, what should be an easy bill to pass in a historically unproductive Congress is in danger of becoming a case study in the folly of letting the perfect be the enemy of the public good.
Congress is running out of time to do something good for fans who have put up with confusing shopping experiences, out-of-control fees and deceptive resale practices long enough. A year-end omnibus bill is the last legislative vehicle the TICKET Act can bring to President Joe Biden’s desk. It may be one last chance to give fans, venues, artists and consumers what they’ve been asking for for the past two years: a comprehensive consumer protection package for live event goers. The clock is running. This bill should be a layup. It’s time for Congress to get on board.
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