House of Representatives Pass the TICKET Act, Banning Hidden Pricing and Deceptive Ticketing Practices — Fix the Tix Coalition, NIVA, Recording Academy Commend the Move

Photo Credit: Kyle Mills

Fresh off the House of Representatives passing the TICKET Act, banning hidden pricing and deceptive ticketing practices, the Fix the Tix Coalition and NIVA applaud the move and urge the Senate to follow suit.No sooner had the House of Representatives passed the landmark TICKET Act to ban hidden pricing and deceptive ticketing practices in the US than industry organizations and figureheads began commending the move.

The bill’s passing marks a crucial step toward improving ticketing transparency by requiring ticket sellers to clearly disclose the sale price at the beginning of the transaction, prior to the selection of a ticket, and to provide an itemized list of the base ticket price and its fees.

Organizations including the Fix the Tix Coalition and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) have released statements applauding the House’s move, urging the Senate to further enhance measures like the TICKET Act by passing the Fans First Act. This bill includes additional provisions to protect consumers from deceptive websites and bots.

“The Fix the Tix Coalition and the National Independent Venue Association commend the US House of Representatives and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Subcommittee Chair Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), as well as Representatives Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) for working to strengthen and pass H.R. 3950, the TICKET Act. This progress is crucial and we applaud it,” the two organizations wrote in a joint statement.

“We now call on the Senate to pass S. 3457, the Fans First Act, which builds on the TICKET Act by including additional provisions to wholly ban speculative, or fake, tickets, to ensure that deceptive imagery on websites does not trick consumers, to increase mandatory reporting of illegal bots to obtain tickets, to require clear and conspicuous itemization of the ticket price and fees at the beginning of the transaction, and to provide meaningful enforcement of these provisions,” their statement continues.

“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,” says Stephen Parker, Executive Director of the National Independent Venue Association.“Not only has the US 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,” continues Parker. “We call on Congress to do the same, to build on the TICKET Act and adopt strong, enforceable, and comprehensive ticketing reform legislation like the Fans First Act.”

“Eventbrite celebrates the resounding House passage of live event ticketing reform and commends bill sponsors and committee leadership for strengthening the legislation before passing it,” says Julia Hartz, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eventbrite, and Fix the Tix Steering Committee Member. “Now, it’s the Senate’s turn to build upon this progress for consumers and fans by passing the bipartisan and comprehensive Fans First Act (S. 3457) as soon as possible.”

Harvey Mason Jr., Recording Academy CEO, concludes: “Today’s passage of the TICKET Act by the House of Representatives marks a significant step forward toward improving the concert ticket marketplace. The TICKET Act was a key focus of Grammys on the Hill two weeks ago, and the Recording Academy thanks our Congressional leaders for bringing the bill to a vote shortly after meeting with Academy members.”

“We now urge the Senate to act quickly to incorporate the strong provisions contained in the Fans First Act and move a comprehensive ticket reform package that will provide transparency and protect artists and their fans,” adds Mason.