New York ticket transparency bill is now law, more states to follow

A new law that will make buying a ticket to a concert or event fairer for fans has been signed into law by New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

The new law requires that:

• ticket sellers use “all-in” pricing including upfront disclosure of all fees up
• disclosure of a “face value” on the tickets being sold
• prohibit delivery fees on tickets printed at home
• ban the sale of tickets that were originally distributed for free
• higher penalties for using illegal “bot” programs to purchase tickets in New York

“Live entertainment has long been a critical sector in our economy, and as consumers and the industry recover from the pandemic, it is important that we make the ticket-buying experience easier and more transparent,” said Governor Hochul said. “This bill will expand penalties for malicious ticketing practices that have made live events inaccessible to New Yorkers for too long. Today, we are taking an important step towards ensuring that every New Yorker has a fair opportunity to enjoy the unique arts and cultural experiences that our state has to offer.”

Similar laws are under consideration in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, and other states as fan demand for ticketing transparency and amore even playing field grows.

Bruce Houghton is Founder and Editor of Hypebot and MusicThinkTank and serves as a Senior Advisor to Bandsintown which acquired both publications in 2019. He is the Founder and President of the Skyline Artists Agency and a professor for the Berklee College Of Music.