New bill aims to curb price gouging by secondary ticket sellers in DC

WASHINGTON - A new bill introduced in Washington, D.C., is quickly gaining support as part of a major push to protect concertgoers from price-gouging by secondary ticket sellers. The proposed legislation, which was unveiled Tuesday, seeks to directly address the rising cost of tickets being resold at outrageous prices.

Music venues across the District, including The Anthem, are rallying behind the bill, which aims to tackle the issue of inflated prices for concert tickets. Industry leaders voiced their concerns at a press briefing earlier today, expressing that the impact of price-gouging is being felt by the entire D.C. music scene. They are calling for a change that benefits not only consumers but also local venues and artists.

D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen, who introduced the bill, stressed the urgent need for reform. 

"The resale market right now needs to be corrected because our artists and local venues here with us today, and D.C. residents, are being taken advantage of," Allen said. "When it costs hundreds of dollars to attend a weeknight show, it hurts the music scene because fans are priced out and they’re staying home."

The problem, Allen added, is that while prices are skyrocketing—sometimes seeing a $55 ticket marked up to as much as $1,000—none of the extra money is going to the artists or venues. Instead, the inflated prices are filling the pockets of secondary ticket sellers like SeatGeek and StubHub.

What the Resell Act Proposes

What we know:

The bill, known as the Resell Act, aims to provide a long-awaited solution to ticket scalping, a practice that has plagued D.C. for years. Among its key provisions:

1. Price Cap: Resale prices will be capped at 10% above the original cost of the ticket.
2. Ban on Speculative Tickets: Sellers cannot list tickets they do not own, preventing them from profiting off tickets they haven’t yet acquired.
3. Transparent Pricing: All-in pricing will be required, ensuring consumers are aware of all taxes and fees upfront.
4. Ticket Reseller Registration: Resellers selling 50 or more tickets per year must register with D.C. authorities and disclose both their purchase price and resale price.

Prominent local venues like the 9:30 Club, the Atlantis, and the Lincoln Theater have voiced their support, emphasizing that these changes are critical to the health of the local music scene.

Impact on the Music Ecosystem

Dig deeper:

Audrey Schaefer, Communications Director for IMP (the company behind the 9:30 Club), highlighted the far-reaching consequences of ticket price gouging. "If people are being price gouged and paying $500 for a ticket they could have bought for $50, that’s nine shows they’re not going to that year. It harms our entire music ecosystem," Schaefer explained. "Consumers are no longer discovering new artists or bringing their friends to shows."

Concertgoers themselves echoed this frustration, with some expressing that the current ticket market is becoming a barrier to enjoying live music.

"I honestly buy mine online in advance, but things like this make me not want to go," said Dashon Montague. "It’s unfortunate."

Sarah Loftin, another concertgoer, added, "It would be great, especially for young people, to have access to live music, but the cost is really prohibitive. It would be amazing if they could act with legislation."

Next Steps for the Bill

Looking Ahead:

While the introduction of the bill is an important first step, it remains to be seen if it will gain full approval. However, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine has expressed support for the legislation, and violators of the new rules could face civil penalties ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.

As the conversation around ticket resale practices continues to evolve, D.C. residents and music fans alike are hopeful that this bill will pave the way for a more transparent, fair ticketing system in the nation's capital.