There’s an old saying in politics: “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” And unfortunately for Maine’s sports fans, that’s exactly what happened with LD 913. When LD 913 was first introduced, we cheered!  The bill was clear, simple, and absolutely necessary: it aimed to protect your right to use, gift, or resell your ticket without interference. In other words—it made sure that when you buy a ticket, you own it. Period.

Today, the TICKET Act (HB 1402) passed the House of Representatives 409-15, marking the second time the bill has passed the House with enormous bipartisan support. Last year, the vote was 388-24, but this year, the bill gained support despite a massive opposition effort by industry special interests.

Once again, ticketing policy takes center stage in Washington, DC. Last week, President Trump signed an Executive Order “to protect fans from exploitative ticket scalping and bring commonsense reforms to America’s live entertainment ticketing industry.” Today, the House Energy & Commerce Committee marked up the TICKET Act (H.R. 1402), a bipartisan, fan-first bill that could forever change how we buy tickets online. The bill passed the committee by voice vote. The only ‘no’ vote was by Congresswoman Clarke and it was not based on the substance of the bill but in protest of broader political dynamics.

Maine sports fans know a thing or two about loyalty. Whether it’s packing Hadlock Field to cheer on the Portland Sea Dogs, braving the cold for a Maine Mariners game, or heading down to Gillette Stadium to watch the Patriots, Mainers show up. 

“Sports Fans Coalition applauds President Trump’s Executive Order on ticketing. We have long called for public policies that promote competition and consumer choice in live events and actions against entrenched monopolies that harm the fan experience. We support BOTS Act enforcement and an end to unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive business practices by both primary and secondary ticketing companies. 

We look forward to working with the FTC and DOJ to protect fans. However, Congress must still act. The TICKET Act directly responds to the President’s Executive Order by requiring all-in pricing, banning speculative ticketing, prohibiting deceptive websites, and improving enforcement of the BOTS Act. This order and the TICKET Act will, in the words of Kid Rock, ‘Make America Fun Again.’”

Public advocates are gathering in Salem this week to debate new live event ticketing legislation designed to improve the experience for fans. The bill, H.B. 3167, seeks to improve transparency, protect consumers from monopolies, and crack down on scammers. The ticketing market has been a hassle for too long. This bill will help fix it.