In one of his signature Sunday press conferences, Senator Chuck Schumer announced that he'll introduce a bill this week that would prohibit ticket brokers from buying up tickets during the first two days they're on sale to the public. The proposal is believed to be a reaction against February's Bruce Springsteen ticket debacle, in which Ticketmaster referred fans to its high-priced subsidiary TicketsNow almost immediately after tickets went on sale for two New Jersey concerts.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Schumer said, "The bottom line is we need to create a fair system where fans get first crack at good seats at a reasonable price...It's simply unfair that you either need to be a computer hacker or made of money to go see Bruce Springsteen or U2 or the Mets or the Yankees." The bill would also require ticket resellers to register with the Federal Trade Commission, which has subpoenaed Ticketmaster for information about its TicketsNow affiliates. As Schumer announced his proposal, tickets for U2's Giants Stadium concert were selling for up to $3,210 on TicketsNow.
In the aftermath of the Springsteen fiasco, Schumer called for an anti-trust investigation of Ticketmaster. Perhaps because of objections to the company's proposed merger with Live Nation, Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff is playing ball, telling the Daily News, "I am very happy to support Sen. Schumer's thoughtful proposal and leadership on this issue." And last week Ticketmaster confirmed that it has also received subpoenas and requests for information from the New Jersey Attorney General, the Canadian Competition Bureau, and the Justice Department.
