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Bravo on protecting ticket buyers

Although legislation from U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar wouldn't cap ticket fees, additional disclosure and other protections would benefit concertgoers.

By Editorial Board

December 14, 2023 at 11:45PM

Taylor Swift performs in Minneapolis on June 23. (Aaron Lavinsky, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.

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Hefty fees tacked onto ticket prices didn't deter one Minnesota family of Taylor Swift fans from seeing the pop idol in concert twice.

Kyle Matteson, his girlfriend and her adult child took in shows in the Twin Cities and Nashville, Tenn. Matteson paid $225 for club-level tickets to the Minnesota show, with the total price tag coming to $275 per seat after fees were included. For the show in the country music capital, the cost came to $235 per ticket, with $299 the final sum charged.

Matteson, of Richfield, didn't blink at the extra $50 to $64 in fees for each ticket. A veteran concertgoer, he expected them with Swift's high-profile tour, and he told an editorial writer that he's seen even higher fees. Paying them is now just "built into the experience" of seeing a show, he said.

There was resignation in Matteson's voice as he explained this reality for live-music fans. That's understandable. There's often little explanation for the additional sums, and consumers may have little notice about how much extra they'll pay until late in the ticket-buying process.

Multiplied by millions of fans, these fees add up quickly to the benefit of the ticketing industry as live-music demand soars and sports fans once again fill stadiums after the COVID-19 pandemic. Bolstered scrutiny and consumer protections are sensible, which is why a new package of reforms championed by U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., merits support from her congressional colleagues.

Klobuchar recently announced legislation, dubbed the "Fans First Act," that includes a bevy of wide-ranging reforms to benefit concertgoers. Among the proposed improvements:

Requiring ticket sellers to reveal the total ticket charge, including fees, earlier in the purchase process. Sellers also would have to disclose clear sale terms and conditions, whether they're the original seller or reseller, and "which seat or section they are selling in to avoid ticket misrepresentation."
Providing refund protections so that sellers and resellers can return a ticket's full cost if there is a cancellation.
Strengthening current safeguards to deter online "bots" from quickly buying up tickets for an event, potentially blocking access for regular fans or pricing them out.
Cracking down on "deceptive websites and bad actors masquerading as legitimate sellers," which make it appear, for example, that you're buying from venues like First Avenue when in reality the seller isn't affiliated with the venue.
Leveling civil penalties on those engaging in illegal sales.
Creating a website where fans can lodge complaints, with the expectation of enforcement from the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general.

"From hidden fees that can be up to 30% of face value to bots scooping up tickets before real fans, the live-event ticketing system just isn't working for most Americans," Klobuchar said in a statement this week. "That's why I'm leading bipartisan legislation with Senator [John] Cornyn [R-Texas] to put common sense guardrails in place to crack down on abuse and make the process more fair and why it's crucial the Department of Justice continue their antitrust investigation into Live Nation/Ticketmaster."

The Fans First Act is the latest effort by Klobuchar to strengthen safeguards and access for ticket buyers. Earlier this year, she led a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing after Ticketmaster glitches in late 2022 left many Swift fans unable to buy seats.

In February 2023, Klobuchar and Utah Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican, "sent evidence from their hearing to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and called on the DOJ to continue examining Live Nation and Ticketmaster's anticompetitive conduct," according to the Minnesota senator's office.

Scrutiny is also timely with the live music industry posting record-setting gross revenues of $6.28 billion in 2022, according to Variety, a music industry publication.

The proposed Klobuchar-led reforms have been endorsed by a broad range of recording-industry groups and organizations representing event venues. Dayna Frank, the owner/CEO of Minnesota's iconic First Avenue Productions, praised the legislation, saying it "goes a really long way in clearing up main fan complaints."

Matteson also believes the reforms would improve the fan experience. While he noted that the bill wouldn't cap troubling fees, he agreed that earlier disclosure of them is beneficial.

Some buyers, for example, may choose to back out before investing time and effort to complete a purchase. Consumers might also comparison shop to find tickets with lower fees. That competition, in turn, could potentially result in reduced fees.

The Klobuchar legislation, while not a panacea, nevertheless merits support. If passed, it's a smart step that would take steps to protect fans and their pocketbooks.