Massachusetts' new ticketing law, part of a recently signed Economic Development Bill, is facing criticism from consumers and industry stakeholders due to its potential impact on ticket resale practices.

The law requires customers to resell event tickets through the original platform of purchase, effectively giving companies like Ticketmaster greater control over the secondary market. Live Nation executives defend this measure, arguing it targets professional ticket brokers who use bots to purchase large quantities of tickets, driving up prices for genuine fans.

Dan Wall, Live Nation's Vice President of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, emphasizes that the law isn't meant to affect individual ticket holders who can't attend events, but rather to prevent large-scale scalping operations.

However, consumer advocacy groups like MASSPIRG warn that the law could lead to higher ticket prices. Dierdre Cummings from MASSPIRG explains that Ticketmaster can purchase tickets at face value and resell them at higher prices, maintaining elevated pricing levels.

StubHub has criticized the law as anti-competitive, particularly favoring Ticketmaster and Live Nation. They're advocating for lawmakers to revise the legislation to prevent a ticketing monopoly in Massachusetts.

This development comes amid broader scrutiny of Live Nation, including an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice anti-trust investigation into the company's competitive practices. Critics, including Chamber of Progress Senior Director Todd O'Boyle, argue that despite Massachusetts joining the federal anti-trust suit, this new law potentially strengthens Live Nation's market dominance by restricting ticket transfers.

The General Court is expected to revisit this legislation in 2025, with consumer advocates pushing for amendments to better protect fan interests and maintain market competition.

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