Pallone Applauds House Passage of Bipartisan TICKET Act

Washington, DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today applauded House passage of the bipartisan TICKET Act that improves transparency in the event ticket marketplace. The bill requires all-in price disclosure for event tickets, bans speculative tickets, requires refunds for canceled or postponed events, and prohibits deceptively named ticketing websites. Pallone is Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the ticketing industry. Video of his floor remarks is available here.

Pallone has been a strong supporter of eliminating junk fees, especially in the live event industry. In May 2023, Pallone introduced the BOSS and SWIFT Act with Congressman Bill Pascrell (NJ-09) to bring transparency and regulation to the live events ticket marketplace. Last December, the Energy and Commerce Committee incorporated key provisions of Pallone and Pascrell’s bill into the TICKET Act when it advanced through the Committee.

“Consumers should be able to enjoy live music without fear of hidden fees that can unexpectedly break the bank, and this bill delivers the relief Americans deserve from the junk fees that dominate this industry. This bill mandates all-in pricing disclosure, bans speculative ticketing, requires refunds for cancelations or postponements, and prohibits deceptively named ticketing websites. Thanks to this bill, consumers will also know that they are purchasing a ticket from a reputable website,” Pallone said. “I want to thank my friend and colleague Representative Pascrell for his tireless efforts and leadership on improving the ticketing experience for consumers. For years, Representative Pascrell and I have fought to ensure consumers can enjoy their favorite sports team or see their favorite artist without the stress of misleading and hidden fees. He’s been a staunch advocate to ensure fairness and transparency in the ticketing marketplace, and I’m proud to have partnered with him on this effort.” 

“The ticket market is like the Wild West: mammoth, opaque, speculative, and brutally unfair and today’s measure includes some reforms we’ve been seeking for years,” said Pascrell. “This bill makes the first real effort to prohibit speculative tickets that have bedeviled fans across America. I am also glad the legislation includes two items from our landmark BOSS Act: helping consumers get their refunds and ensuring fans are not duped by shady websites. I thank the committee for advancing it and especially thank Ranking Member Pallone, who has been a tireless supporter of consumers in our quest to fix the ticket market for 15 years. Today’s bill starts to lay down the law to achieve real change for Americans.”