TICKET Act Stalls in Congress Following Trump & Musk Budget Intervention

TICKET Act Stalls in Congress Following Trump & Musk Budget Intervention

By Marcus Hartley

December 24, 2024 at 08:06 AM

The TICKET Act has been halted in Congress following interventions from Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who demanded multiple rounds of spending cuts last week.

Originally passing in the House of Representatives with bipartisan support, the bill aimed to increase ticket pricing transparency and ban speculative ticketing in the United States. However, its progress stalled in the Senate after Trump and his advisors, including Musk, called for additional spending reductions.

Stack of tickets and documents

Stack of tickets and documents

Two revised spending bills were presented to the Senate - one on December 19, which was rejected by 38 Republicans and Democrats, and another on December 20. Neither included the TICKET Act, leaving its future uncertain.

The bill would have required ticket vendors to display all-in pricing at point of sale, prohibited the sale of speculative tickets, and mandated FTC enforcement against scalper bots.

Stephen Parker, Executive Director of NIVA, criticized the act, stating it contained loopholes that would make the speculative ticketing ban ineffective. He urged Congress to consult with artists, venues, and fans when developing future ticketing policies.

This development follows the FTC's recent ban on "junk fees" for concert tickets, requiring platforms to display mandatory fees upfront. The issue has gained international attention, with the UK launching an investigation into dynamic pricing following controversy over Oasis reunion tour tickets.

Kid Rock has also entered the conversation, meeting with Trump's Attorney General pick Pam Bondi and promising to address concerns in the concert ticket industry.

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Man wearing blue jacket

Man wearing blue jacket

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