California Bill Banning Speculative Ticketing Gets NIVA Boost

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is praising a proposed bill in California that would ban the practice of speculative ticketing—selling tickets that aren’t actually in hand.

The bill was introduced by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan as Bill AB 1349 and would end the speculative ticketing practice in the state. If passed, the bill would make it so that resellers would need to actually own the ticket they’re selling before listing it on an secondary ticketing website. It would hold secondary ticket resell platforms accountable by refusing listings until a seller can prove they own the ticket.

Legitimate listings on resell ticket website would also clearly display the seat location of the ticket—giving fans more transparency about what they’re buying. Finally, the bill would prevent resellers from being able to set up and design websites that mimic official ticketing or venue websites. This step alone would stop fan confusion in the purchasing process, since many people unwittingly purchase from a secondary ticketing website set up by those same resellers.

Now NIVA has praised the action, saying the move marks a “significant step toward protecting consumers, artists, and independent venues from deceptive resale practices that undermine fair access to live entertainment.”

“Independent venues are the heart of California’s cultural and economic landscape, and speculative ticketing undermines everything we work so hard to create—fair access, fan trust, and thriving live events,” shares Stephen Parker, Executive Director of NIVA. “We commend Assemblymember Bryan for standing up against these predatory tactics and championing a ticketing system that puts consumers, artists, and venues first.”

“California’s independent venues deal with disappointed fans at their box office every show,” adds Jim Cornett, NIVA CA Chapter President & Owner of Harlow’s, The Starlet Room, and Café Colonial in Sacramento. “Fans are either sold invalid tickets or misled to pay exorbitant prices for our shows by invisible people advertising on platforms that have no involvement in the show. This measure is an important step forward in protecting consumers, independent stages that depend on them, and the artists who use our stages to hone their craft.”