Michigan Watchdog (10/30/18) Arnold, Tyler

Legislation in Michigan sponsored by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) that aims to decriminalize ticket scalping has secured state House approval, but must now contend with the Senate. Retailers are currently prohibited by Michigan law to resell event tickets above face value unless the host venue consents; however, the law is seldom enforced. Kelly argued that the ticket resale market is controlled by venues and corporations that make money from the practice, and outlawing it when individuals do the same thing is unreasonable. The NetChoice e-commerce association, whose members include StubHub, favors Kelly's bill. "NetChoice supports [the bill] as it updates an 80-year-old law that restricts Michigan fans' ability to sell at market prices," said NetChoice Vice President Carl Szabo. "Michigan stands virtually alone with this restriction that harms the ability of fans to recoup their ticket expenses." Szabo also said the proposal would bring Michigan in line with the rest of country by permitting Michiganders to sell their tickets at market price, which can sometimes fluctuate above face value. He added that the legislation "helps ensure that one group doesn't use 'bots' to grab hundreds of tickets the minute they go on sale by making the use of technology illegal and empowering the [Michigan] attorney general to enforce."

Read the full article on the Michigan Watchdog website.