Photo credit: Roger Harris
Massachusetts lawmakers introduced a law called the “Taylor Swift Bill” to ban dynamic pricing and force ticket companies to offer ticket price transparency.
State Representative Dan Carey (D) and State Senator John Velis (D) introduced identical bills entitled “A Bill Ensuring Transparent Ticket Pricing.” The bill requires all ticketing companies to disclose the final total cost of tickets, including fees and surcharges, before the ticket is selected for purchase.
“We heard from a lot of fans who were just frustrated with the ticketing process,” adds Rep. Dan Carey. “This would be a tool in the toolbox that would allow us to instantly know what the total price is, to see how much is in fees and how much is in ticket price.”
The bills are collectively dubbed the “Taylor Swift Act” after fans became frustrated buying tickets for the pop singer’s latest Eras tour. The bill directly targets Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing model, which allows ticket prices to fluctuate widely based on demand. Some of the extreme examples Digital Music News has highlighted of this pricing model include Bruce Springsteen tickets, available for as little as $8 per seat in Oklahoma, or $800 in New York and New Jersey (the hometown the bosses).
It’s worth noting that these calculations also don’t account for junk fees charged by ticket providers like Ticketmaster. “It just makes the customer aware at the outset what the fees are, what percentage of what you’re paying is a fee, and what the ticket price is,” Carey continues.
“What this bill is, basically, is a consumer protection law” adds John Velis. “It allows people to know their budget when they buy these tickets and know that’s the amount they have to spend.”
Both bills have been forwarded to their respective chambers’ committees for consideration. While this is happening at the state level in Massachusetts, it underscores lawmakers’ increasing awareness of dynamic pricing and the issues it poses for fans who feel like they’re being taken away before they even buy tickets.