Photo Credit: Tim Hart
The landscape of live event ticketing is undergoing a seismic shift, as the Sports Fan Coalition (SFC) has allied with the music industry in demanding comprehensive ticketing reform.
The move signals a new era of cross-industry collaboration, amplifying calls for transparency, consumer protection, and an end to monopolistic practices that have plagued both concert goers and sports enthusiasts. For years, musicians and their teams have borne the brunt of public frustration over soaring ticket prices and opaque fees. Headlines often blame artists for the cost of admission, while sports teams—despite commanding equally high, or higher ticket prices—rarely face similar scrutiny.
This double standard contributes to a lopsided narrative, obscuring the real drivers of inflated ticketing costs: entrenched ticketing monopolies and restrictive industry practices. The SFC endorsed the Transparency in Charges for Key Events Ticketing (TICKET) Act, describing it as a powerful step forward in ticketing reform.
The SFC’s advocacy for the TICKET Act is rooted in a set of principles known as the Ticket Buyers Bill of Rights, which calls for transferability, transparency,a fair marketplace without bots, and resource for harmed fans to pursue justice in the court system rather than through mandatory arbitration.
“For years, fans have been squeezed and deceived by a system that prioritizes profits over fans,” said Brian Hess, Executive Director of Sports Fans Coalition. “We praise the DOJ and FTC for taking this step to inject fairness and competition into the ticketing marketplace.”
Music industry advocacy groups including the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and the Fix the Tix coalition have echoed these sentiments, underscoring that the current system harms both artists and fans. Their advocacy has spurred bipartisan legislative momentum, with the TICKET Act passing the House by an overwhelming margin.
With the SFC’s involvement, the campaign for ticketing reform now bridges two of America’s most passionate communities—music lovers and sports fans. The growing alliance demands that lawmakers address the root cause of high ticket prices and restore fairness to the live event experience.
