North Cook News

WASHINGTON – On June 8, U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Ranking Member and Chair, respectively, of the Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation to improve transparency in the entertainment industry by requiring all event ticket sellers to display the total ticket price—including all required fees—in any advertisement, marketing, or promotional materials. 

The TICKET Act would mirror current advertising guidelines for airline tickets, requiring that consumers are able to see the full price of the ticket before purchase.  This will ensure that when American consumers are buying tickets (for concerts, theater, sporting events, etc.) they have full transparency throughout the process. Studies from the New York Attorney General’s office and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) show that fees can contribute anywhere from 21% to as much as 58% of the total cost of tickets.

“Fans are incredibly frustrated by how hard it has become to buy event tickets. With every ticketing debacle, from Beyoncé to Taylor Swift, and so many more, their frustration grows,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “By introducing the bipartisan TICKET Act on June 8, we are proud to be responding to the voices of so many fans to make this process easier and more transparent. We are looking forward to further engagement from stakeholders as we continue to advance this legislation for the benefit of fans and artists. Consumers deserve to be protected from fraudulent tickets, surprise costs, and excessive fees.”

“There is nothing more disappointing for an avid fan than being lured into the prospect of an affordable ticket to see his or her favorite sports team or band only to learn later in the check-out process that the final price tag is significantly higher.  Our pro-consumer bill brings much needed transparency to the whole ticketing industry, and I’m committed to working towards reforms that protect consumers and provide certainty in the marketplace,” said Congressman Gus Bilirakis. 

Specifically, the TICKET Act requires all event ticket sellers, including primary and secondary market event ticket sellers to:

• Display the total ticket price (including all required fees) in any advertisement, marketing, or price list.
• Disclose to consumers the total ticket price (including all fees), including an itemized list of base ticket price and each ticket fee, at the beginning of a transaction and prior to selection of the ticket.
• Disclose to consumers if a ticket being offered for sale is a speculative ticket where the seller does not have actual or constructive possession of the ticket.

A bipartisan companion of the TICKET Act is being championed in the United States Senate by U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Ted Cruz (R-TX). 

Original source can be found here.