Have you wanted to go to a concert for your favorite artist only to find lawn seats cost thousands of dollars? A bill before Maryland legislators aims to stop ticket scalpers from jacking-up prices.
But it’s being met with some skepticism, especially by sports team season ticket holders.
“Ticket network posted $150 tickets for Alanis Morissette at $7,000. SeatGeek lists Hozier tickets, which we sold for $99, at $5,000,” Audrey Fix Schaefer, communications director for I.M.P. Concerts — which operates Merriweather Post Pavilion, among other D.C.-area concert venues, testified before the Maryland House Economic Matters Committee in Annapolis last month.
She was one of several event venue representatives that urged lawmakers to pass HB 701, which would prohibit selling tickets for more than their initial offering prices by secondary-ticket sellers or by scalping them.
“Hearing time and time again how individuals are trying to buy tickets, and they’re immediately bought up by bots,” said Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles County) who sponsors the bill.
Wilson said while lawmakers can’t stop the technology, “we can stop rewarding that technology.”
“We have a problem with people extracting value from the communities that have nothing to do with putting on a successful event,” said Kevin Erickson, director of the music advocacy nonprofit Future of Music Coalition, in support of the bill.
The legislation however did face pushback, especially when it came to season-ticket holders for sports teams.
Del. Pam Queen (D-Montgomery County) questioned if she would be able to sell her basketball season tickets for a higher price for more popular games.
Wilson answered, “If you’re trying to make a profit — either doubling and tripling — just so you can make a profit, then you’re definitely part of the problem, not part of the solution. Because we want individuals to be able to access it.”
“Our perspective, on behalf of the sports fan, is that the price cap is problematic for the average sports fan that wants to sell their ticket — especially in the season ticket context,” said Drew Vetter, a lobbyist for the nonprofit Sports Fan Coalition.
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