Look What (Ticketmaster) Made Them Do: Senate Introduces BOSS-SWIFT Act To Regulate Ticketing Market

The Senate is officially joining in on “The Great War” leveraged by Congress in recent months against companies like Ticketmaster, this week introducing policy designed to reign in deceptive fees, speculative ticketing and more. Here’s the scoop:

What is it? Named after Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift, the BOSS-SWIFT Act stands for Better Oversight of Stub Sales and Strengthening Well Informed and Fair Transactions for Audiences of Concert Ticketing Act. And while it’s similar to the legislation introduced in the House of Representatives earlier this year following Ticketmaster’s botched handling of Swift’s Eras Tour sales, this is the Senate’s own version of proposed enforcements aiming to end deceptive practices running rampant in the monopolized ticketing market.

What’s in it? If passed, the act would require sellers to disclose the total cost of tickets from the getgo – that means all service fees, convenience charges, delivery fees, price changes and everything in between would need to be outlined to customers up front. It would also demand that sellers be transparent about refund policies, as well as the total number and cost of tickets available at least seven days before they go on sale. 

One major concern in the ticketing industry, however, isn’t strongly addressed by BOSS-SWIFT: scalping. Critics of the proposal have pointed out that it doesn’t do much to prevent the often harmful practice of buying tickets – oftentimes en masse – and selling them for a major profit.

What they’re saying: “It’s time to crack down on this anti-hero behavior, which is exactly what the BOSS and SWIFT Act will do,” punned Mazie Hirono, one of the senators who introduced BOSS-SWIFT to the Senate. “By requiring ticket sellers to act with transparency, this legislation will protect consumers, helping them enjoy the best day at their favorite concerts, games, and performances.”