A bill allowing people to transfer tickets for major entertainment and sporting events more freely has cleared the Minnesota House.
The measure, approved 83-50 on Tuesday, March 27, would ban outlets such as Ticket King and professional sports teams from restricting how purchasers can resell or otherwise transfer tickets.
“If you want to give it to somebody, you can give it to somebody,” said the bill’s chief sponsor, Rep. Joe Hoppe, R-Chaska. “If you want to sell it, you can do that.”
Among other things, the bill would bar issuers from engaging in a number of practices, including establishing the prices or outlets where tickets that came from them can be resold.
Several legislators from both parties, however, contended they haven’t received complaints about existing requirements or practices. For example, Rep. Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, said he thought the bill was a “solution looking for a problem.”
Many professional teams and sports venues oppose the measure, predicting it would lead to higher ticket prices and saying current practices help prevent scalpers from controlling large blocs of tickets.
The Fan Freedom Project, a nationwide group initially funded by StubHub, a ticket reseller owned by eBay, supports it.
The measure would not apply to places with fewer than 2,500 seats and exempts the Minnesota State Fair, the Minnesota State High School League and its members and the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission.
A similar bill is in a Senate committee. The legislation would take effect Aug. 1.
Dennis Lien can be reached at 651-228-5588.
