The TICKET Act mandates clear, upfront pricing for event tickets, requiring sellers to disclose the total cost, including all fees, and provide a breakdown of prices before purchase.
Ted Cruz
Senator
TX
The TICKET Act mandates that ticket sellers disclose the total price of event tickets, inclusive of all fees, in any advertisement or listing, as well as provide a breakdown of the base ticket price and each individual fee to the buyer. This act aims to provide transparency in ticket pricing and is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission.
TICKET Act: Full Ticket Price Upfront, No More Hidden Fees - Starts in 120 Days
The TICKET Act, or Transparency In Charges for Key Events Ticketing Act, is stepping in to clean up the mess of hidden fees in event ticketing. This new law requires ticket sellers to show you the total price—fees and all—right from the start. No more getting blindsided at checkout.
No More Mystery Fees
Starting 120 days after this law is enacted, any ticket price you see advertised must include all mandatory fees. Think service fees, delivery charges, facility fees – the whole nine yards. (SEC. 3). The law defines an "event ticket fee" as basically any charge added on top of the base ticket price that you have to pay to get the ticket. (SEC. 2). They're also required to give you an itemized breakdown of the base price and each fee before you buy.
For example, imagine you're buying a concert ticket. Before, you might see a price of $50, only to find out at checkout it's actually $75 with all the added fees. Now, they have to show you that $75 price from the get-go, and tell you exactly what makes up that extra $25.
Real-World Rollout
This applies to pretty much any major live event – concerts, theater, sports – at venues holding over 200 people, as long as the event or ticket sales cross state lines (SEC. 2). This impacts both the initial ticket sellers and secondary market resellers (SEC. 2). So, whether you're buying from Ticketmaster or a reseller site, the full price has to be clear upfront.
One thing to watch out for is how companies might try to classify fees. The law doesn't include fees for "optional products or services" in the total price (SEC. 2). It will be important to make sure mandatory fees aren't disguised as optional to get around this.
The Bigger Picture
The TICKET Act aims to level the playing field and make sure you know what you're actually paying for. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is in charge of enforcing this (SEC. 4), treating violations as "unfair or deceptive acts" under the Federal Trade Commission Act. This gives the FTC the power to go after companies that don't comply, using the same tools and penalties they already have. This is all about making the ticket-buying process less of a headache and more transparent for everyone. The FTC's existing authority under other laws is also preserved, so this adds to their enforcement toolkit. This will likely make attending events a much more pleasant experience, as you won't have to worry about hidden fees at checkout.