Proposed legislation that would ban exclusive ticketing contracts between primary sellers and venues in the state of California is now eligible for a vote on the California Senate floor.
According to California State Senator Scott Wilk, the bill, known as SB 829, would loosen the “stranglehold” that companies like Ticketmaster have on the industry.
“Exclusivity contracts with entertainment venues mean higher ticket prices for consumers. This bill gets at the heart of that problem,” Wilk said. “You shouldn’t have to go into debt just for enjoying a night out.”
Wilk’s “Ticketmaster Bill” has passed through the Senate appropriations committee and is eligible for a vote starting today.
Wilk said preventing the clause “would provide venues the autonomy to collaborate with other ticket sellers without the fear of retaliation from large ticket sellers.”
After the debacle surrounding tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, ticketing headaches and hidden fees have become a hot-button issue across the country.
Just last week, Massachusetts lawmakers unveiled new legislation nicknamed the “Taylor Swift Bill,” which would require ticketing platforms to display all-in prices upfront.
Large-scale concert production company Live Nation has been an outspoken supporter of all-in pricing and ticket reform in the wake of this ticket uproar, launching the FAIR Ticketing Act, which seeks to crack down on scalpers and bots plaguing the marketplace.
19 different North American companies also formed the Fix the Tix coalition earlier this month, after U.S. President Joe Biden called for limits on ticket fees for concerts and sporting events.
Feature image provided by Rukes.
