‘Taylor Swift bill’ signed into law requiring ticket pricing transparency
Thousands line up for Taylor Swift merch
Taylor Swift won't take the stage at U.S. Bank Stadium for another 24 hours, but thousands are already lining up to get their hands on everything T-Swift. Concert merchandise went on sale at 10 a.m. on Thursday, but fans like Anna Marie have been waiting in line since 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. She is in town from Jamestown, North Dakota for the concert.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minnesota's lawmakers have agreed to new rules for companies selling concert tickets, such as Ticketmaster and Live Nation, due in part to the backlash faced after some music fans had a Cruel Summer losing out on tickets to Taylor Swift’s 2023 sold-out U.S. Bank performances.
On Tuesday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed the "Taylor Swift bill" – also known as H.F. 1989 – into law inside the First Avenue concert venue in downtown Minneapolis.
The bill attempts to protect consumers by adding additional requirements for sellers who try to inflate prices or sell fraudulent tickets, requiring them to list a total cost (including fees and charges) at the time of purchase, prohibiting selling more than one copy of a ticket and prohibiting resellers from hiring someone to purchase tickets for resale.
A person who claims to have been harmed by any seller violating the new rules could be sued under state law.
"Whether Minnesotans are selling out Target Center to cheer the Timberwolves on in the playoffs or catching a concert or a play downtown, they’re paying too many hidden fees while competing against exploitative third parties," said Walz in a statement. "This law will change that. We are protecting consumers and ensuring that Minnesotans can purchase tickets for their favorite events without having to empty their pockets."
The origin of the bill came from an experience being a ‘Swiftie’ and trying to get tickets to the Eras Tour, the bill’s author, Rep. Kelly Moller (DFL-Shoreview), previously told a Minnesota House of Representatives committee.
In the U.S. Senate, Sen. Amy Klobuchar is the sponsor of the bipartisan Fans First Act, which seeks to strengthen transparency in live event ticketing markets at the federal level.