Memphis Standard

U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn, John Cornyn, Amy Klobuchar, Ben Ray Luján, Roger Wicker, and Peter Welch have introduced the Fans First Act, a bipartisan legislation aimed at reforming the live event ticketing system. The bill seeks to address the flaws and frustrations experienced by fans when purchasing tickets for live events.

According to Senator Blackburn, "Fans have become increasingly frustrated with how difficult it has been to obtain affordable tickets to see their favorite artists perform." She highlighted the issues of ticket scalpers using bots to buy up tickets and sell them at exorbitant prices on secondary markets, as well as ticketing companies selling speculative event tickets that don't actually exist. The Fans First Act aims to increase transparency in ticket sales, protect consumers from fake or overpriced tickets, and hold bad actors accountable for illegal ticket sale practices.

Senator Cornyn expressed the need to rebuild trust in the ticketing system, stating, "The current ticketing system is riddled with problems and doesn't serve the needs of fans, teams, artists, or venues." The legislation aims to crack down on bots and others who take advantage of consumers through price gouging and predatory practices. It also seeks to increase price transparency for ticket purchasers.

Senator Klobuchar highlighted the impact of bots, hidden fees, and predatory practices on consumers, stating, "Buying a ticket to see your favorite artist or team is out of reach for too many Americans." The Fans First Act aims to improve the ticketing experience by ensuring fans get refunds for canceled shows, banning speculative ticket sales, and addressing other issues that hurt consumers.

The Fans First Act builds upon Senator Blackburn's previous work in safeguarding artists and their fans in the online ticket marketplace. In 2016, President Obama signed Senator Blackburn's Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act into law, which prohibits ticket scalpers from using software to purchase high volumes of tickets.

The Fans First Act addresses several areas of reform in the current ticketing system. It includes provisions for ticket sales transparency, requiring sellers and resellers to disclose the total cost of the ticket, including fees, a breakdown of the ticket cost, clear terms and conditions of purchase, and whether they are the original seller. It also strengthens the BOTS Act by further prohibiting the use of bots to purchase tickets online and requires sellers and resellers to provide proof of purchase to consumers within 24 hours.

The bill also focuses on consumer protection, ensuring that consumers receive a full refund for canceled events. It includes a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study to further examine the marketplace and make recommendations.

To address bad actors in the ticketing industry, the Fans First Act imposes civil penalties on resellers engaging in illegal ticket sale practices. It creates a reporting website for fans to file complaints and tasks the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general with enforcement. The legislation also prohibits the sale of speculative or "spec" tickets and prevents the use of deceptive websites and bad actors masquerading as legitimate sellers. It also requires reporting of BOTS Act violations from ticketing companies to the FTC and mandates the FBI to share ticketing violations with them.

The Fans First Act has garnered endorsements from various organizations, including the Fix the Tix Coalition, National Independent Venue Association, Seattle Theatre Group, Recording Academy, Recording Industry Association of America, and many others.

This bipartisan legislation aims to reform the live event ticketing system, increase transparency, and protect consumers from unfair practices. It addresses the frustrations faced by fans and seeks to ensure a fair and accessible ticketing experience for all.

To learn more, click on this link: https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2023/12/blackburn-cornyn-klobuchar-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-reform-live-event-ticketing-system