A proposal to eliminate the speculative selling of tickets for events in Arkansas has been delayed while a state House committee reviews the measure.
Last week, the proposed bill, SB966 which was sponsored by Sen. Larry Teague, prohibits brokers and others from selling tickets to events in the state, with the exception of sporting events, before tickets go on sale to the general public. The plan received overwhelming support in the state Senate, but the measure left questions unanswered, namely what would it mean for fan clubs or theater subscriptions, both of which offer tickets for sale in advance of the general public.
The proposal does not contain language addressing those topics, and Teague said he wasn’t sure how such matters might be handled.
Members of the Arkansas House Committee on Advanced Communications and Information Technology scheduled a meeting today, March 17, to discuss the proposed bill, but result of the discussion was not yet known. If or when it might go before the full House for a vote is also unknown.
If passed, the plan could become a nuisance for some large ticket brokers and exchanges because they would be forced to remove speculative tickets for non-sports Arkansas events from their listings, only to add them later after tickets go on sale publicly.
Ticketmaster last month said it would stop the practice, as part of its settlement with New Jersey’s Attorney General over botched Bruce Springsteen ticket sales.