Lawmakers in Florida have launched a invoice that will prohibit taxpayer-supported venues from signing exclusivity offers with ticketing companies.
A brand new invoice launched in Florida would prohibit any venue that has accepted taxpayer funding inside the final 10 years from signing an unique ticketing deal, whereas stopping venues from forcing artists to promote tickets on a selected web site.
“The legislature finds that the sole-source contracts for the sale of tickets and licenses to occasions situated at reside efficiency venues inside this state violate public coverage and hurt the general public good,” reads the invoice, defining a “reside efficiency venue” as any stadium, conference middle, exhibition corridor, area, coliseum, or auditorium that has accepted federal, state, or native taxpayer funds for capital enhancements or operational bills inside the final 10 years.
“A efficiency artist who’s contracted to carry out at a reside efficiency venue might not be required to market, promote, or distribute tickets to the occasion at which they’re performing by way of a selected ticket platform with which the reside efficiency venue has an unique contract,” the proposed state legislation continues, explaining that venues should permit performing artists to promote tickets to their occasion on the ticketing platform of the artists’ alternative.
The invoice would additionally remove “hidden charges,” requiring the itemizing value of the ticket to mirror the ultimate value. Florida State Senator Jason Brodeur and Consultant Alex Andrade filed SB 204 and its companion invoice HB 177 earlier this week.
In the meantime, a invoice in Pennsylvania designed to guard towards “speculative ticketing” is on its approach by way of the state’s Home of Representatives. That invoice, moreover forcing ticket resellers to have tickets in-hand earlier than promoting or promoting them, would additionally allow shoppers to sue for damages.
“I’m not making an attempt to cease or prohibit secondary sellers from stopping their commerce,” mentioned Pennsylvania State Consultant Rob Matzie, whose invoice would additionally stop ticket resellers from utilizing misleading web sites designed to make shoppers imagine they’re buying immediately from the venue. “I’m merely calling for honesty and transparency in that course of.”