Senate Makes Bipartisan Push to Further Regulate Ticketing Industry

Earlier this week, Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced a bill that would require ticket retailers to disclose fees upfront.

The Details: The bill was followed on Wednesday by the Unlock Ticketing Markets Act, led by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), which would allow the Federal Trade Commission to prevent ticket vendors from using exclusive multi-year contracts.

For Context: The bills are part of broader efforts against Ticketmaster by U.S. officials, after the uproar caused by Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in November 2022. Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation, has faced scrutiny on antitrust matters since the two merged in 2010, and is scheduled to go to arbitration over an antitrust claim in May.

Key Quotes: Cruz said, “The TICKET Act brings transparency to the whole ticketing industry, which is dominated by a few large players that can capitalize on these hidden fees.” Klobuchar said, “The Unlock Ticketing Markets Act would help consumers, artists, and independent venue operators alike by making sure primary ticketing companies face pressure to innovate and improve.” Ticketmaster said of the Unlock Ticketing Markets Act, “The ticketing industry is more competitive than ever. Ticketmaster wins business because it offers the best product available.”

How The Media Covered It: Sources across the spectrum covered the bills similarly. The story was also covered by several mainstream entertainment media outlets like Billboard and The FADER. New York Magazine covered the story in its pop culture section, Vulture.