Illinois Ticketing Bill Signed

An Illinois bill allowing any state resident to resell tickets through a licensed auction site has won the approval of Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Sen. Don Harmon, who sponsored the bill, said the new law will legalize and regulate what has been a common practice for years, according to Chicago’s ABC7.

“We have mandated consumer protection, and we have insisted that the operator and the Internet auction site stand behind its users,” he said.

The bill allows sports teams and ticketing companies to operate their own secondary sales operations, such as Ticketmaster‘s TeamExchange, under which season ticket holders may sell their unused seats online.

The bill was supported by eBay but opposed by Clear Channel and most of the state’s 38 licensed ticket brokers.