The American music industry has welcomed two developments in US Congress this week regarding proposals for new regulations of the ticketing sector.
Both the Recording Academy and the Fix The Tix Coalition have responded positively to the introduction of the Fan First Act in the Senate and the advancing of the TICKET Act by a committee in the House Of Representatives. Both acts are part of recent efforts by US politicians to address issues in the American ticketing business.
The Fan First Act, led by Senator John Cornyn, would force all ticketing sites to declare the full cost of a ticket, including fees, upfront; would ban speculative selling on resale sites, where touts advertise for sale tickets they are yet to secure; and would ban "deceptive marketing" that results in consumers paying more than they need to for tickets.
Welcoming the proposals yesterday, Recording Academy Harvey Mason Jr said: “We urge Congress to act on this bill quickly and continue its effort to protect both artists and fans by increasing transparency and limiting bad actors that take away from the joyous experience of live music".
The Fix The Tix Coalition is backed by companies and organisations from across the music industry, and supports various reforms and regulations in the ticketing sector, with a particular focus on regulating secondary ticketing.
It said of Cornyn's proposals: “Predatory resellers have made the ticket-buying experience a nightmare for fans. The Fans First Act will chip away at the fan entrapment that has become an everyday part of trying to go to our favourite shows".
The TICKET Act - versions of which are working their way through both the Senate and the House - has some similar provisions to the Fans First Act. It was discussed by the House Energy And Commerce Committee this week.
Following those discussions, the Fix The Tix Coalition welcomed moves to ban speculative selling and “deceptive marketing tactics”, but added that “more must be done to ensure clear and conspicuous itemisation of the ticket price and fees are present from the time the ticket purchase transaction begins until the transaction is complete".