Texas Talks Tickets

Lawmakers are poised to consider a measure that would keep ticket issuers from restricting the resale of event tickets, using paperless ticketing and imposing minimum or maximum prices on ticket resales.

The law, written by Rep. Rene Oliveira, was sparked after the nonprofit group that operates the rodeo discovered fans including season ticketholders and sponsors had resold tickets to a George Strait concert during the event – some for as much as $11,000.

The rodeo decided that reselling above face value violated the terms of the tickets and canceled nearly 5,000 of them. Fans cried foul but the fine print on the bottom of the tickets apparently backed up the Rodeo’s revocations.

Oliveira’s bill, as well as a similar measure in the state senate, has garnered support from the StubHub-backed Fan Freedom Project. It’s been referred to the House’s Business and Industry committee and is slated to be reviewed in coming weeks.