California Bill Aiming to Cap Concert Ticket Resale Prices Fails

A California bill that would have limited the price for concert tickets that are resold in the state has failed.

The bill, known as AB 1720, also known as the California Fans First Act, failed to move forward from the States Appropriations Committee on Thursday. The bill, which was originally introduced in February by state assemblymember Matt Haney, aimed to curb ticketing scalping by brokers and resale platforms by placing limits on the resale price of concert tickets. It would have capped the cost of concert tickets resold in California at a maximum of 10 percent higher than a ticket’s original face value.

It was later amended to apply to 3,000 capacity or smaller venues, which exempted larger arenas and stadiums where many fans have felt the weight of rising ticket costs and where much of the secondary reselling market draws activity.

The bill garnered nationwide support including from the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), the local NIVA California chapter, the musicians advocacy group Music Arts Coalition, and Live Nation, who argued the bill would deter ticket scalpers by preventing them from listing tickets with high markups.

It also faced significant pushback from ticket resale platforms, including StubHub, who spent $3.4 million to lobby in California this year to fight this bill and others, as The Hollywood Reporter first reported.

“Started in California 26 years ago, StubHub exists to give fans access to live events on their own terms through a secure, verified marketplace — including fans who couldn’t get tickets during the original on-sale, or who want the option of grabbing a great deal as prices shift closer to the event, a spokesperson for StubHub said in a statement. “We believe that more choice, flexibility, and access put fans first and help everyone get into the events they love.”

Haney told THR in a statement that he is “going to keep working with the coalition of fans, artists, and venues who recognize the urgency of this issue and continue pushing for solutions that put tickets back in the hands of the people they were intended for.”

“This isn’t a fringe idea, and it isn’t partisan,” Haney said. “From Kid Rock to Noah Kahan, artists across genres have called for solutions to runaway ticket resale practices. Independent venues have spoken out. Fans have demanded change. Several states and countries have already adopted resale caps because they recognize the urgency of this issue. AB 1720 would have helped remove the incentives that fuel predatory ticket resale while still allowing someone who can’t attend a show to resell their ticket and recover their costs.” (Haney did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment.)

Similar bills have passed around the country. In May, Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed a resale cap bill into law, supported by Noah Kahan, which capped resale prices at 10 percent, making it the second state after Maine to enact similar legislation.