Goodbye, hidden fees: New law requires upfront ticket pricing
Connecticut just passed a law requiring ticket sellers, including resale sites, to disclose all “service charges” in a “clear and conspicuous manner” – right in the ticket listing.
More Stories
Sick of those so-called “service charges” when you buy concert and event tickets? A new state law will require sellers to disclose the full price up front.
Everyone's got their favorite concert.
“The Band, the Allman Brothers,” said John Mazzuchelli, of North Providence, Rhode Island.
“Disturbed,” said Martha Kennedy, of Franklin Square, New York. “We just went.”
But nobody's a fan of those hidden charges that don't show up until you check out. Sometimes they cost more than $50 for a pair of tickets.
“It’s expensive already. Bruce Springsteen at Gillette Stadium was, like, $300-$400,” said Mazzuchelli. “If I do something, I try to go to the box office. Who wants to pay the fees?”
That's why Connecticut just passed a law requiring ticket sellers, including resale sites, to disclose all “service charges” in a “clear and conspicuous manner” – right in the ticket listing. Those hidden costs include “administrative fees” and “surcharges.” Now, the total ticket price must appear right up front.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong called it “all-in pricing.”
“This will protect consumers from seeming to find that perfect seat, and then finding out that they're being charged a heck of a lot more than they thought,” he said at a Tuesday morning news conference at Hartford’s Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) wants Congress to pass the law nationally and expand it to other transactions.
“Not only for concerts, but for airlines, hotels, rental for cars,” he said.
Consumers said they're “all in” for that idea.
“That would be great,” said Kennedy. “And, if not, they should definitely make it more clear."”
At least for the next month, it's still buyer beware. The new law doesn't go into effect until Oct. 1.
