New York Poised to Extend Ticket Laws in Failure for Pro-Industry Lobby

With the legislative session in New York coming to a close, lawmakers appear to have shelved a last-second and problematic proposed overhaul of the ticketing regulations in the state for 2025. Instead, a one-year extension of the existing rules has been introduced – shelving the battle for ticket rights in the Empire State until the 2026 session kicks off in January of next year.

Late Sunday, Senate Deputy Leader Mike Gianaris and Assemblymember Ron Kim filed S8396/A8802, which extends the existing regulatory climate in the state until June 30, 2026. New York’s ticketing rules are set to expire on June 30 of this year if no legislation passes. The straight extender represents a stalemate between the industry lobby (powered by Live Nation/Ticketmaster, Oak View Group, and other smaller organizations tied to the “Fix The Tix” coalition) and consumer groups who largely support ticketing reform designed to empower consumers over the allegedly monopolistic entities at the center of live events.

Sen. James Skoufis had spent years advocating for more consumer-friendly ticketing laws in the state, including his authorship of S276 in January of this year, only to dramatically shift course with the submission of S8221 in May – a bill that would have handed that industry lobby powerful new tools to restrict consumer rights regarding tickets they’ve purchased.

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Asm. Kim had submitted the house version of both the January and May bills, so his participation in this extension effort is perhaps the strongest signal that either direction of reform isn’t happening this session. In a statement, Kim said he looked forward to revisiting the issue in the next legislative session.

“Senator Skoufis and I spent countless hours meeting with the businesses, promoters, consumer groups, artist advocates, and platforms that represent this industry, and examining the issues that make buying a ticket such an unpleasant and often frustrating experience,” he said. “I believe we crafted a thoughtful bill that addressed many of the concerns on the table, but the timing and internal hurdles prevented us from reaching the finish line this time around.”

Consumer advocates expressed relief that the problematic aspects of the May legislation won’t see the light of day in the Empire State, but lamented the loss of the handful of actual pro-consumer reforms that had survived from the January bill.

“New York still boasts one of the strongest ticketing laws in the nation, but fans are frustrated that they’ll have to wait yet another year for basic protections, like transparency on ticket holdbacks, guarantees for postponed events, and safeguards for season ticket holders,” says Brian Hess, Executive Director of the Sports Fans Coalition. “[The reform bill] had a lot to love, but it came bundled with a dangerous concession to monopoly power: resale price caps that would have driven fraud through the roof and gutted consumer choice. A transparent, competitive resale market is good for fans and saves New Yorkers millions of dollars a year. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and work with Chair Skoufis, Chair Kim, and the entire Legislature to ensure next year’s reforms put fans first instead of catering to monopolies.”

Senator Skoufis, who has not responded to multiple requests for comment from TicketNews regarding the reasons for his about-face on consumer ticket rights, blasted his fellow lawmakers for not taking up the “Fix The Tix” priority package this year, telling The Capitol Pressroom that he would vote against the extender alternative.

“Our majority conference was overwhelmingly supportive of legislation to overhaul live entertainment ticketing,” he said in a statement. “I have nothing complimentary to say about the straight extender – the exact preferred outcome of scalpers – and I will be voting against it.”

New York’s legislative session adjorns on June 12.