More than 250 major artists support campaign to change ticketing system
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(Credits: Alice Baxley)
Duran Duran, Billie Eilish and Green Day have supported a new bill which plots to protect fans in the ticketing system.
In recent years, bots have swept up tickets for major events which results in ordinary people being forced to pay more, if they wish to attend. The proposed bill hopes to make the ticketing system fairer and clamp down on illegal resellers, who are profiteering from both fans and artists.
In total, over 250 artists have signed the letter to the Senate Committee on Commerce, which also wants further transparency on ticketing costs and a full breakdown of fees. Notable names who have backed the petition include Finneas, Dave Matthews, Cyndi Lauper, Lorde, Sia, Train, Fall Out Boy, Graham Nash, Nile Rodgers, Becky G, Julia Michaels, Major Lazer, Julien Baker, Chappell Roan, Ben Folds, Diplo, and Indigo Girls.
Senators Cornyn, Klobuchar, Blackburn, Welch, Wicker, and Lujan have brought about the bill, along with the help of the bipartisan TICKET Act (H.R. 3950), sponsored by representatives Bilirakis, Schakowsky, and Armstrong.
Stephen Parker, executive director of the National Independent Venue Association, said of the Fix the Tix initiative: “It is clear that all participants of the live event ecosystem, from artists, to venues, to fans, demand comprehensive ticketing reform and consumer protection against the predatory ticket resale practices that have deeply afflicted live entertainment in the United States.”
Parker continued: “The Fix the Tix Coalition is proud to deliver this critical call to action from artists whose fans experience the injustices of the resale market every show. And, we hope their message resonates with Congress, as officials elected to protect their constituents and as Americans who simply love music. The time for comprehensive ticketing reform is now.”
The Fix the Tix campaign has also been backed by the National Independent Venue Association, Eventbrite, and 30 live event organisations.
The bill is broken down into three main sections, the first relates to ticket sales transparency, which they say, “Mandates full disclosure of ticket costs, including fees, at the initial selection stage.”
It also relates to consumer protection, such as full refunds for cancelled events across the board, and ticket buyers must also receive proof of purchase within a 24 hour period.
News of the bill follows after Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson shared his thoughts on rising ticket prices for concerts, singling out U2 specifically as perpetrators. “It depends what the show is and kind of who the audience are. I mean, I’m not gonna go around and say specific artists, because most of the artists that are charging $1,200 a ticket,” he remarked.
Dickinson added: “Like in Las Vegas, if you wanna go and see the U2 show, I think it was $1,200 dollars per seat in The Sphere. I’ve got no interest in paying $1,200 dollars to go and see U2 in The Sphere. None. A hundred bucks, maybe.”
More information can be found regarding the Fix the Tix coalition here.
