California Fans First Act would cap how much concert tickets can resell for amid soaring prices

"This bill will restore access to affordable tickets for fans. If you want to go to a show, you can buy a ticket directly, and you should plan to actually go to that performance if you can't make it, if something happens, if plans change, you can resell your ticket for no more than 10% above what you pay for it. That's going to ensure that we have full theaters, support for the artists, support for the venues, and we're going to take out of the equation these folks who are gobbling up the tickets, pocketing all the money and driving these events out of the reach of fans who actually want to see the shows."

"Haney is seeking support for Assembly Bill 1720, which targets ticket resale platforms rather than primary sellers such as Ticketmaster or entertainment venues. Supporters said resale platforms allow tickets originally purchased from primary sellers or venues to be resold multiple times for far more than their face value. They argued that the additional money paid by concertgoers does not benefit artists or venues, but instead goes to scalpers and speculators."

"A California lawmaker is pushing a new bill, the California Fans First Act, that aims to curb ticket resale price gouging in the live entertainment industry, following heightened scrutiny of ticketing practices. The effort follows a recent court ruling that found Live Nation illegally monopolized the ticketing market, an allegation the company denies."

A California lawmaker is advancing the California Fans First Act to reduce ticket resale price gouging in live entertainment. The push follows increased scrutiny of ticketing practices and a court ruling alleging Live Nation illegally monopolized the ticketing market, which the company denies. Assembly Bill 1720 targets ticket resale platforms rather than primary sellers like Ticketmaster or venues. Supporters say resale platforms enable tickets to be resold multiple times for far more than face value, with extra money going to scalpers and speculators instead of artists or venues. The bill would cap resale prices at no more than 10% above the original purchase price, with enforcement by the state attorney general aimed at large-scale activity.

Read at ABC7 San Francisco