D.C., MA RESALE Act Passes
Washington D.C. has passed the RESALE Act, a landmark law championed by Councilmember Charles Allen and supported by the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA). Designed to curb predatory ticket scalping, this legislation protects fans and local venues by restoring fairness and transparency to the District's live entertainment scene.
Key reforms include a 10% cap on resale markups, a ban on speculative ticket sales, and a prohibition on surveillance pricing. The law also mandates all-in price transparency, requires high-volume resellers to register with the city, and strengthens enforcement to shield consumers from exploitative secondary platforms.
MA Pledges Ticket Reform
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey spoke about cutting ticket prices and fees at a State House press conference. She announced The Great Divide Act and used the recent Noah Kahan Fenway Park shows as an example of why it's needed.
"Our legislation is going to cap resale ticket prices and fees for all concerts. We're saying that no concert can be resold for more than 110% of the face value, the original ticket price. So those $200 Noah Kahan tickets can only be sold for $220 now. Seems good, right? I see a lot of nodding faces, wish we had this in place last week, right?," said the governor. "OK, so that's the first thing, it's going to cap the resale price at no more than 110% and then we're going to cut the fees that these resellers charge on any ticket whether it's for concerts or sports, by capping those service fees at 10%... We're also gonna ban ghost tickets."
StubHub Class Action Lawsuit
StubHub and CEO Eric Baker have been hit with a proposed $5 million class action suit over ties to large-scale scalpers. The suit alleges deceptive practices including StubHub marketing itself as a "marketplace for fans to buy and sell tickets."
The CBC reported last week that recent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission shows that Baker also runs Andro Capital, a hedge fund that resells millions of dollars in sports and concert tickets on StubHub.
StubHub recently faced an uproar after cancelling thousands of World Cup tickets.
NIVA Board Adds Three
NIVA has three newly elected members of its Board of Directors. They are David Weingarden, Vice President, Concerts + Events at Z2 Entertainment; Cassie Dickson, Director of HR and Project Manager for Audiotree, Lincoln Hall and Schubas Taverne; and Shayna Melgaard, Programming Manager, Hennepin Arts Center.
“NIVA’s newest board members bring a wealth of diverse experiences, perspectives, and expertise that will strengthen the organization as it continues to champion independent venues, festivals, promoters, and presenters nationwide,” says Stephen Parker, NIVA Executive Director. “As the industry continues to evolve, their leadership will help ensure that independent music and cultural spaces remain vibrant, resilient, and accessible for future generations.”
Numa Christopher Saisselin To VenuWorks' Sunrise Theatre
VenuWorks has named Numa Christopher Saisselin as Executive Director of the Sunrise Theatre in Fort Pierce, Florida. His appointment follows VenuWorks’ selection as the new management company for the 1,200-seat theater.
Saisselin joins from his position as president of the Florida Theatre Performing Arts Center in Jacksonville and previously served as CEO of the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ.
Save On SXSW Showcase Applications
March 2027 may feel like it’s a long way off but Music Festival Showcase applications are officially open. Right now it’s only $35 to apply but the application fee increases after Monday, August 31. Don’t wait—get your application in early .
Learn more about Showcase, Panel Picker and other SXSW 2027 deadlines here.
AEG Strengthens Venue Development Team
AEG is adding to its Venue Development team support the company's growing slate of venues across North America.
Cameron Marcotte has been elevated to Vice President, and Jake Hiersteiner and Mike Ryan promoted to Director roles. In addition Alyssa Sarilarp joins as Senior Design and Construction Specialist, Will Evans as Senior Project Manager, and Marysol Flores as Administrative Assistant.
The team is led by Colin Conway, Senior Vice President, Venue Planning, Acquisition and Development.
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