Sacramento’s Crest Theater backs bill to curb ticket resales, critics warn of costs
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A bill moving through the California Legislature could soon limit how much money people can make reselling tickets for concerts and other live events, aiming to crack down on bulk buyers who scoop up tickets and sell them at higher prices.
Assembly Bill 1720, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Matt Haney of San Francisco, would allow ticket resales only at face value plus up to 10%, including fees. Supporters say the bill is designed to curb bots and large-scale resellers who inflate prices, making it harder for fans to afford live entertainment.
At Sacramento’s Crest Theater, owner Robert Emerick said keeping events affordable is a priority for his business, including regular $2 movie nights intended as a community offering. Emerick said the theater only receives a small portion of that ticket price, with the goal of making events accessible.
But Emerick said mass resellers often undermine that effort by using bots to intercept low-priced tickets and resell them at a significant markup.
“These bots go in there, and then they intercept our tickets, and then they turn around and try to resell the tickets for, say, $10 or $20,” Emerick said.
Haney said his bill is meant to stop that kind of price gouging while still allowing people to resell tickets if they can’t attend an event.
“You can resell the ticket, but you can only sell it for the face value of the ticket plus 10%. That is inclusive of fees,” Haney said.
If passed, the bill would apply to live events such as concerts, comedy shows, and theatrical productions, but would not include sporting events. Haney said mass resellers are not fans, but are instead using tickets as a way to extract as much money as possible from people who want to see performers they love.
“They’re not even fans, they’re just using it as a way to make money,” Haney said.
Opposition is coming from the Ticket Policy Forum, a coalition representing secondary ticket marketplaces. The group argues the bill would end up hurting consumers by limiting competition in the resale market. A spokesperson said the proposal does not address high prices set by primary ticket sellers.
“It does nothing to stop Ticketmaster from asking astronomical prices, abusing fans, and continuing to use its monopoly power to stop real competition in ticketing,” said Ian Lee of the Ticket Policy Forum.
Emerick said he believes the bill would help protect consumers and reduce fraud, while still allowing fans to recover their money if plans change.
“I think that the concept of limiting resale to 10% over face value is an absolute wonderful idea,” Emerick said.
Another measure affecting ticket resales is also advancing in the Legislature. Assembly Bill 1349 would place additional limits on mass ticket purchases intended for resale at a profit. The Ticket Policy Forum also opposes that bill, which has already passed in the Assembly and is headed to the Senate.
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