Providence Journal (03/06/19) List, Madeleine
Representatives of entertainment venues in Providence, R.I., oppose a bill that they claim would roll back consumer protections and limit their ability to prevent ticket scalping. Under the bill, ticket holders would be permitted to resell their tickets without monetary restrictions, provided they guarantee a full refund if the ticket is faulty or the event is canceled. Current state law bars ticket holders from reselling tickets at prices higher than $3, or 10 percent, above face value. The new measure also requires venues to offer transferable tickets, and block ticket agencies from creating websites that mimic those of the venues themselves. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha says this legislation and a similar bill proposed last year would eliminate key consumer safeguards on ticket sales by watering down the state's resale law. “Oftentimes, it is professional ticket brokers who purchase large blocks of tickets and use online platforms to resell them at greatly inflated prices,” he contends. Primary ticket vendors also claim the transferable ticket requirement boosts the likelihood that tickets will be secured by brokers or scalpers, and go on the secondary market at inflated prices. Providence Performing Arts Center President J.L. Singleton and Rhode Island Convention Center General Manager Larry Lepore note they often must deal with problem tickets bought on online ticket exchanges.
Read the full article on the Providence Journal website.