California Bill Aiming to Cap Concert Ticket Resale Prices Fails

A California bill that would have limited the price for concert tickets that are resold in the state has failed.

The bill, known as AB 1720, also known as the California Fans First Act, failed to move forward from the States Appropriations Committee on Thursday. The bill, which was originally introduced in February by state assemblymember Matt Haney, aimed to curb ticketing scalping by brokers and resale platforms by placing limits on the resale price of concert tickets. It would have capped the cost of concert tickets resold in California at a maximum of 10 percent higher than a ticket’s original face value.

It was later amended to apply to 3,000 capacity or smaller venues, which exempted larger arenas and stadiums where many fans have felt the weight of rising ticket costs and where much of the secondary reselling market draws activity.

The bill garnered nationwide support including from the National Independent Venue Association ( NIVA ), the local NIVA California chapter, the musicians advocacy group Music Arts Coalition, and Live Nation, who argued the bill would deter ticket scalpers by preventing them from listing tickets with high markups.

It also faced significant pushback from ticket resale platforms, including StubHub , who spent $3.4 million to lobby in California this year to fight this bill and others, as The Hollywood Reporter first reported .

“Started in California 26 years ago, StubHub exists to give fans access to live events on their own terms through a secure, verified marketplace — including fans who couldn’t get tickets during the original on-sale, or who want the option of grabbing a great deal as prices shift closer to the event, a spokesperson for StubHub said in a statement. “We believe that more choice, flexibility, and access put fans first and help everyone get into the events they love.”