A new bill signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz in Minnesota will provide more transparency and protection for people buying tickets online for concerts, sporting events, and other live events. Dubbed the Taylor Swift bill, the law requires ticket sellers to disclose all fees upfront and prohibits resellers from selling more than one copy of a ticket. This new law will apply to tickets purchased in Minnesota or other states for events held in Minnesota. The bill was signed at First Avenue, a popular concert venue in downtown Minneapolis.
The legislation was prompted by the frustration felt by Democratic Rep. Kelly Moller and thousands of others who were stuck in Ticketmaster’s system following a crash in 2022 amid high demand for Taylor Swift concert tickets and attacks from bots. This situation led to congressional hearings but no federal legislation. The new law in Minnesota joins Maryland as one of the few states to pass protections for ticket buyers into law. Support for the bill has been positive, with ticketing companies like StubHub expressing a desire to protect fans from anti-competitive and anti-consumer practices in the ticket buying process.
Gov. Walz emphasized that the new law aims to prevent ticket buyers from receiving bad or fraudulent tickets, as well as ensuring that resellers cannot purchase all tickets before the public has an opportunity to buy them. The bill signing event included attendees such as two young girls, one wearing a shirt referencing Swift and the other referencing basketball star Caitlin Clark, whose father testified in support of the bill. Mike Dean, the father, shared his experience of hidden fees increasing ticket prices, leading to an uninformed purchasing decision. The new law is expected to bring transparency to the ticket buying process.
The law is set to take effect on January 1, 2025, and will apply to tickets sold on or after that date. Adrianna Korich, the director of ticketing at First Avenue, expressed support for the new rules, highlighting instances where fans were tricked into paying up to 10 times a ticket’s face value due to deceptive websites and resellers. The law aims to prevent such practices by banning both deceptive websites and resellers who list tickets without actually possessing them. Korich mentioned the high prices seen during the Taylor Swift Eras tour and emphasized the need to protect fans from such practices.
The Taylor Swift bill in Minnesota represents a significant step towards ensuring fairness and transparency in the ticket-buying process for live events. By requiring upfront disclosure of fees and limiting resellers to selling only one copy of a ticket, the law aims to prevent inflated prices and fraudulent transactions that can harm consumers. The support from various stakeholders, including ticketing companies and legislators, indicates a shared commitment to protecting fans from anti-competitive practices. Moving forward, the implementation of this new law will provide greater confidence for ticket buyers, knowing that they are protected from hidden fees and unfair practices.
