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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 6, 2023 03:08 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Ryan P. Aument and Sen. Marty Flynn |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Banning Speculative Ticketing |
| Technology has made it easier than ever to purchase tickets to see our favorite artists and sports teams. With just a few clicks, we can buy seats and access to just about any show or game. But just as with most technological advances, an opportunity for deception arises. In the world of ticket sales, the deceptive practices of some secondary resellers rob fans of what should be a joyful experience. One of the most harmful practices is speculative ticketing. Speculative selling is when resellers list tickets they have not yet obtained. They are betting (or speculating) that they will be able to get the tickets and then resell them to fans. Consumers are falsely led to believe they are purchasing a valid ticket. Once a speculative ticket is sold, the reseller can cancel the order if they are unable to procure the ticket or if it is no longer profitable to complete the transaction – leaving the fan without a ticket, sometimes the day of the event. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania venues see this situation every day – a fan has traveled to an event, excited for the experience, only to discover that their ticket is canceled or no longer valid – leaving them outside the gates in disappointment and frustration. For many popular concerts and sporting events, resellers will even market tickets that haven’t gone on sale yet. For example, a recent Rolling Stone article noted that tickets for Beyonce’s tour were being sold on secondary sites for $3,000 before a single ticket had actually gone on sale. [1] Speculative ticketing forces real fans to compete against resellers who are acquiring tickets to fulfill the speculations they made. These resellers are preventing fans from getting tickets through a legitimate source and for face value. This practice is unfair, unethical and takes advantage of fans and performers. Our legislation would ban the practice of speculative ticketing by requiring a seller either has possession of the ticket or has a contractual agreement with the rights holder to obtain the ticket. It would also ban the practice of selling speculative tickets before the on-sale occurs. We welcome you to join us in protecting Pennsylvania consumers from this deceptive practice so they can enjoy their favorite live events without getting scammed. |
Introduced as SB970