In Minnesota, buying tickets online for concerts, sports games, and other live events just got easier and safer thanks to a new law signed by Governor Tim Walz. Named the “Taylor Swift bill,” this law was inspired by a lawmaker’s frustration when trying to buy tickets for a Taylor Swift concert in Minneapolis in 2023. The law aims to provide more transparency and protection for ticket buyers.
Under the new law, ticket sellers must now disclose all fees upfront, so buyers know exactly how much they’re paying. Additionally, resellers are prohibited from selling more than one copy of a ticket, preventing them from buying up tickets and reselling them at inflated prices. These rules apply to tickets purchased in Minnesota or from other states for events held in Minnesota.
Governor Walz signed the bill, known as House File 1989, at First Avenue, a popular concert venue in downtown Minneapolis. The bill’s chief author, Democratic Rep. Kelly Moller, expressed her excitement at the unexpected journey of the bill, which is named after Taylor Swift’s birth year and an album title.
The inspiration behind the bill came from the frustration experienced by Moller and thousands of others when trying to buy tickets for Swift’s concert. Ticketmaster’s system crashed due to high demand, and bots attempted to buy tickets for resale at higher prices. Despite congressional hearings, no federal legislation was passed to address the issue.
Minnesota’s new law makes it one of the few states, along with Maryland, to pass protections for ticket buyers into law. While Ticketmaster and Taylor Swift’s team did not respond to requests for comment, StubHub expressed support for the legislation, aiming to protect fans from unfair practices in the ticket buying process.
Governor Walz emphasized that the new law aims to protect buyers from fraudulent tickets and prevent resellers from monopolizing ticket sales. The law’s supporters hope it will bring more transparency and fairness to the ticket buying process.
At the bill signing, a father and his daughters attended, with one daughter wearing a Taylor Swift-themed shirt and the other supporting basketball star Caitlin Clark. The father testified in support of the bill, sharing his experience of being charged hidden fees when buying tickets online. He believes the new law will empower customers to make more informed decisions.
The law will take effect on January 1, 2025, and will apply to tickets sold on or after that date. Adrianna Korich, director of ticketing at First Avenue, expressed her support for the new rules, highlighting the deceptive practices of some websites and resellers that inflate ticket prices. She believes the law will help prevent such practices and make ticket buying fairer for fans.