Consumer Groups, Venues, and Artists Join to Support the TICKET Act
Consumer advocates and stakeholders agree 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 advanced out of the Energy and Commerce Committee last week with a unanimous vote, sends a clear message that Congress needs to act quickly to enact this important legislation, which will significantly enhance the customer experience of buying event tickets online.
International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM)
“We applaud the Committee for recognizing that significant problems exist in ticketing and working with IAVM to help fix them,” stated Brad Mayne, CVE, IAVM President and CEO. “Venues are on the front line of the ticketing debate and deal directly with consumers harmed by a reckless secondary ticketing system driven solely by profits. Addressing these problems would get at the root cause of escalating ticket prices and allow more consumers to experience the joy of live entertainment at a fair price point per the artist’s request.”
“I’m so happy to see that the items that I proposed during my testimony on behalf of IAVM and Fix the Tix Coalition to protect our fans in the ticket purchasing process were incorporated into the bill approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee,” said David Touhey, CVE and International Association of Venue Managers Board Member. “During my testimony, I emphasized the need for a ban on speculative tickets and deceptive websites. It’s incredible to see the Energy and Commerce committee add those items to The Ticket Act. This will help protect our fans and ticket buyers.”
“IAVM congratulates the Committee for this accomplishment and pledges to work tirelessly for its members and member venues until The Ticket Act, H.R. 3950, is enacted into law,” emphasized Mayne.
National Consumers League (NCL)
“Live event fans achieved an important victory with today’s vote,” said NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications, and Fraud John Breyault. “Add-on junk fees for concerts and sporting events have been the bane of consumers’ existence for decades. These reforms are long overdue and promise to make the ticket-buying experience a fairer, easier process for millions of fans.”
"The unanimous vote to pass the TICKET Act out of committee represents the single largest step to reforming a deeply broken market since 2016's BOTS Act." said Brian Hess, Executive Director of Sports Fans Coalition. "Chairman Bilirakis, Ranking Member Schakowsky, and Representative Armstrong have been stalwart champions for consumers of live event tickets, even against tremendous industry pressures. The TICKET Act has been expanded from its original version and is now the most comprehensive, bipartisan solution to be voted on in Congress. Sports Fans Coalition urges leadership to pass this bill expeditiously."
“Artists, fans, and venues deserve a TICKET Act with meaningful protections in addition to transparency. Predatory resellers sell speculative, or fake, tickets to American consumers every day. They use deceptive websites and marketing tactics to trick fans into thinking they are buying tickets from an artist's venue. These practices are blatantly fraudulent, and the TICKET Act advanced out of Committee today bans them.
“The House Energy & Commerce Committee took bold action today to move forward the most comprehensive protections for artists and fans in ticketing that we have seen in years. We look forward to working with the House to ensure the final version of the TICKET Act delivered to the President’s desk continues to provide the highest level of protection for fans, artists, and venues.”
“The ticket reform package passed out of Committee represents the most comprehensive and bipartisan progress in Congress to repair ticketing and protect fans since the passage of the BOTS Act in 2026. It will help to make the ticket buying process more transparent so that consumers are better informed when they search for tickets while also affording fans with new protections including the guarantee of a refund for cancelled events. Best of all, despite efforts to the contrary, this bill doesn’t include handouts to any of the special interests in the live events industry. It should be passed immediately,” said Brian Berry, advocacy director for Protect Ticket Rights.
“…[T]he House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously approved the ‘Ticket In Charges for Key Events Ticketing (TICKET) Act,’ which would curb some of the most predatory ticketing practices that harm musicians and their fans. Marshaled by the Committee and Subcomittee leaders Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) – along with key sponsor Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) – the bill would ban the sale of speculative tickets, stop the use of deceptive ticketing websites, and require sellers to disclose the full price of tickets they list, including fees.”
“The Coalition for Ticket Fairness (CTF) is proud to have worked with Members of the Committee on the legislation and believe this is an important step in prioritizing the protection of fans. In addition to the TICKET Act’s focus on price transparency, the updated language addresses important consumer protections that include refund requirements for cancelled events and the banning of deceptive website marketing,” said Jason Berger of the Coalition for Ticket Fairness. “The CTF looks forward to working with Congress to advance this legislation, empower consumers, and preserve choice in the marketplace for tickets.”
Ticket Buyer Bill of Rights Coalition
“The live event ticketing system needs to be cured of deep flaws that result in consumers being abused before tickets go on sale, while they are for sale, and through the moment they are scanned for entry. We are pleased the Committee today expanded the scope of the bipartisan TICKET Act beyond its original focus on price transparency to now include other important consumer protections, specifically refund requirements for cancelled events and the banning of deceptive website marketing and speculative ticket sales where the seller is selling the promise of a ticket that he or she doesn’t yet possess.
“As a combined package, this legislation will take important steps toward improving the broken ticketing system. We hope this bill advances and ultimately becomes law, and that its passage out of committee today is a first step toward enacting broader ticketing market reform that is needed. We look forward to working with lawmakers to accomplish this in the future.”
CLICK HERE to read more about the TICKET Act.