After Eras Tour chaos, Minnesota signs Taylor Swift bill into law. Here's why
After Eras Tour chaos, Minnesota signs Taylor Swift bill into law. Here’s why
A new law was signed by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Tuesday, ensuring greater transparency and protection for individuals purchasing online tickets for concerts, sports, and other live events. The law, also known as the ‘Taylor Swift bill’, was instigated by a legislator’s inability to secure tickets for Swift’s 2023 concert in Minneapolis.
The legislation mandates ticket sellers to disclose all fees upfront, restricts resellers from selling more than one copy of a ticket, and applies to tickets purchased in Minnesota or other states for events taking place in Minnesota.
Rep. Kelly Moller, the bill’s chief author, expressed her disbelief at the development. She was among those affected when ticket sales company Ticketmaster’s system crashed in 2022 due to high demand for Swift concert tickets and bot attacks.
The law makes Minnesota one of the few states, alongside Maryland, to implement protections for ticket buyers. Both Ticketmaster and Taylor Swift’s media team have yet to comment on the law.
StubHub’s spokesperson, Jessica Roey, expressed support for the legislation, stating that it aligns with their aim of protecting fans from anti-competitive and anti-consumer practices. Mike Dean, a father who testified in support of the bill, shared his experience of hidden fees inflating ticket prices. He believes the new law will enhance transparency.
Adrianna Korich, director of ticketing at First Avenue, also supported the new law, citing instances of fans being misled into paying exorbitant prices due to deceptive websites and resellers listing tickets they do not possess. The law, which bans such practices, will be effective from January 1, 2025.
“We have all heard horror stories from the Taylor Swift Eras tour and have seen the astronomical prices that are being charged at checkout,” Korich was quoted as saying by Associated Press.
Minnesota, however, is not the only one to introduce a law to address scalpers. A Brazilian lawmaker introduced a similar bill, also known as the Taylor Swift Law, to address people who made getting legal tickets for Swift’s Eras Tour nearly impossible.
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