Two lawmakers have introduced identical bills in Massachusetts that would outlaw the growing trend of so-called “dynamic” ticket prices in the state. Dubbed the “Taylor Swift Bill,” the legislation was simultaneously introduced in both houses by Rep. Dan Carey and Sen. John Velis. Both are members of the Democratic party, which has supermajority status in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court.
Titled “An Act Ensuring Transparent Ticket Pricing,” the bill would require all ticket sellers to disclose the total cost of the ticket including fees before any ticket is selected for purchase. It would also ban variable pricing, which has drawn major headlines in recent months as artists like Bruce Springsteen and Garth Brooks have embraced the price-surging practice, while other artists like Robert Smith of the Cure have criticized it as “A GREEDY SCAM.”
“We heard from a lot of fans who were just frustrated with the ticket-selling process. This would be one tool in the toolbox to help know the full price is right away, to see what portion is fees and what portion is the price of the ticket,” Carey said.
“What this bill is at the most fundamental level is a consumer protection bill,” added Velis. “It enables folks to know their budget when they go in to buy these tickets and know this is the amount they’re ultimately going to be asked to spend.”
The twin bills have been referred to committees in their respective houses. SD.2454 has been referred to the Joint Committee on Rules while H.259 is with the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.
The bill is one of many that have been submitted across the land in the wake of the massive consumer outcry regarding the broken ticketing market coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ticket prices have surged to record highs, helping fuel unprecedented profit numbers from companies like Live Nation Entertainment, which dominates the industry alongside other major corporations like AEG, both of which operate as both event and venue operators and ticket marketplace owners.
The Taylor Swift Eras Tour has been something of a powder keg for those frustrations, as Ticketmaster system failures drew major condemnation from fans and politicians alike, leading to a January hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the industry and Live Nation’s dominance within it.
Taylor Swift is performing in Massachusetts this weekend, playing at Gillette Stadium – no doubt playing a role in the timing of the bill’s submission. Tickets for Friday’s show at Gillette Stadium are still seeing sky-high prices, with a “get-in” figure of over $1,000 on Ticket Club, which does not charge members service fees. Swift’s fans have complained over the stressful and buggy ticket sales process that has continued to the day of the show in most venues, with held-back tickets released at the last minute for every stop, leaving fans glued to the Ticketmaster page but also ripe for targeting by scam artists.
