Source: Politics<\/p>\n
Stories of fans left outside stadiums, duped by \u201cghost tickets\u201d on resale platforms, were everywhere at this year\u2019s World Cup. But advocates are hopeful the near-endless stream of negative headlines and angry supporters will spur long-sought-after laws to outlaw the practice of speculative ticket selling, when resellers put tickets they don\u2019t yet have on the open market.<\/p>\n
At the state level, it would seem they\u2019re right.<\/p>\n
Illinois, North Carolina and Washington, D.C. have all passed legislation banning speculative ticket sales since the beginning of the World Cup. Connecticut, Oregon and Vermont have also enacted ghost ticket bans this year. And Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced her intention to file a bill prohibiting ghost tickets \u2014 among other consumer-friendly initiatives \u2014 on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely raising eyebrows in the state of politicians and legislators to really ban ghost ticketing, speculative ticketing,\u201d said Scott Friedman, podcast host and co-founder of the Ticket Talk Network. \u201cWhen you have it happen at this scale, that not just affects the United States, it\u2019s a global tournament for heaven\u2019s sake. Absolutely, change is coming.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see dozens of these bills percolating around the country,\u201d said John Breyault, vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud at the National Consumers League. \u201cMost of which have some kind of ban on speculative tickets.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s action at the federal level, too. Though advocacy groups aren\u2019t exactly aligned on a path forward in Congress. Breyault and the NCL have been active in promoting the TICKET Act, which passed the House in April and moved through the Senate Commerce Committee in June.<\/p>\n
Proponents say the bill would ban speculative ticket sales and safeguard consumers against fraudulent ticket websites.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this environment, where Republicans and Democrats can\u2019t agree that the sky is blue on some days, that\u2019s a rare occurrence,\u201d Breyault said.<\/p>\n
But Stephen Parker, the executive director of the National Independent Venue Association, said the \u201cyou could drive a Mack Truck\u201d through the TICKET Act\u2019s ghost ticketing provisions. Music groups, too, have panned the bill, arguing it would still allow speculative ticket sales by permitting sellers to advertise ticket procurement services for tickets they do not yet possess.<\/p>\n
For now, Parker said, the most encouraging action is happening in the states.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is happening across the country, and ultimately, what we are seeing is state legislators from both parties saying enough is enough. If Congress isn\u2019t going to do something, we are, and we couldn\u2019t be more grateful for their work.\u201d<\/p>\n