Consumer Groups, Venues, and Artists Applaud House Passage of the Ticket Act
Washington D.C. — Consumer advocates and stakeholders agree that H.R. 3950, the Transparency in Charges for Key Events Ticketing (TICKET) Act, will restore fairness and transparency to the ticketing marketplace. The bill, which passed the House last month by a vote 388-24, will significantly enhance the customer experience of buying event tickets online. This united message from stakeholders should send a clear message to the Senate that they must act quickly to pass this important legislation so it can be sent to President Joe Biden’s desk and signed into law.
“Congratulations to Representatives Bilirakis and Schakowsky for achieving this important milestone. Today marks the furthest federal live event ticketing reform has gone in nearly a decade. We applaud them for their leadership and their willingness to engage all stakeholders, especially consumer protection organizations, in seeking a truly comprehensive reform package which has consensus by virtually every stakeholder in the debate. We urge the Senate to send the TICKET Act to President Biden’s desk as expeditiously as possible.”
“Fairness in live event ticketing took a huge step forward today,” said John Breyault, Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud at the National Consumers League. “For decades, the simple act of buying a ticket to see your favorite artist or team has been an exercise in frustration. Thanks to leaders like Chairman Bilirakis and Ranking Member Schakowsky, the days that ticketing companies can get away with ridiculous ticket add-on fees and deceptive resale websites are numbered.”
National Independent Venue Association
“We commend House passage of H.R. 3950, the TICKET Act, which will help to improve the ticket buying experience for fans, to protect the livelihoods of artists, and to preserve independent venues across the nation," said Stephen Parker, Executive Director of the National Independent Venue Association. "Not only has the U.S. House of Representatives moved to protect consumers from predatory and deceptive ticketing practices, but states across the country, including Arizona, Maryland, Minnesota and Nevada, have recently banned, without exception, speculative tickets on a bipartisan basis. We call on Congress to do the same, to build on the TICKET Act and adopt strong, enforceable, comprehensive ticketing reform legislation like the Fans First Act.”
“ARA applauds the House's passage of the TICKET Act, a positive move towards increased transparency and fairness in ticketing. We will continue to advocate for a fair and equitable ticketing system that fully supports artists and fans.”
“Today is a momentous day for live event ticketing reform,” said Brian Hess, Executive Director of Sports Fans Coalition. “If enacted, this bill will guarantee sports fans all-in pricing, prohibitions on several deceptive sales tactics, and refund requirements for canceled events. We hope the Senate will pass this vital legislation and that President Biden will sign it shortly thereafter.”
"Today's passage of the TICKET Act by the House of Representatives marks a significant step forward toward improving the concert ticket marketplace," said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. "The TICKET Act was a key focus of GRAMMYs on the Hill [...] and the Recording Academy thanks our Congressional leaders for bringing the bill to a vote shortly after meeting with Academy members.” – Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr.
“Live Nation applauds House lawmakers for advancing the TICKET Act. [...] We look forward to working with policymakers to make these changes law.”
"The Coalition for Ticket Fairness (CTF) applauds The House on the passage of The TICKET Act. Introduced by Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce Chair Gus Bilirakis and Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky, The TICKET Act represents common sense reforms that will bring much needed transparency into the ticket buying process and give consumers more information as they make purchasing decisions. By empowering consumers, this bill will help lead to a better ticket buying experience and a healthier marketplace.
“CTF is proud to have been supportive of the TICKET Act from the beginning. We believe in leveling the playing field in the ticket marketplace and ensuring that fans have options. We encourage the Senate to move forward in passing their version of the bill as soon as possible."
“The Fix the Tix Coalition, representing every major constituency of the music and live events industry, applauds the passage of H.R. 3950, the TICKET Act, as an important step towards restoring trust in the ticketing ecosystem. The bill provides transparency with all-in pricing, and takes important steps to combat speculative tickets and deceptive websites. [...] The live entertainment ecosystem is counting on Congress to act in the best interests of fans to restore transparency and trust to our country’s broken ticketing system.”
Vivid Seats
“Vivid Seats applauds Chairman Bilirakis, Congresswoman Schakowsky and the Committee Members for their hard work and dedication to legislation that will help fans across the country. We believe the TICKET Act will not only improve the process of purchasing tickets to live events, but its comprehensive approach will increase transparency that has been needed for decades.”
“Thank you to Rep. Bilirakis and Rep. Schakowsky for leading the House effort to get the TICKET Act passed! This pro-consumer legislation will bring much needed transparency to the tickets marketplace.”
StubHub
“StubHub applauds the House’s overwhelming support of the TICKET Act which protects consumers and preserves an innovative and competitive marketplace. It establishes a uniform national standard for all-in pricing for the entire live events industry, creating consistency and strong protections for fans across the US.”
“This bill lets fans know that when they buy a ticket to their favorite events, they’ll be assured that the ticket is real, the price is clear and a refund is available if the event is cancelled. That’s some real progress for consumers,” said Ruth Susswein, Consumer Action’s Director of Consumer Protection.