NITO Nine-Point Ticketing Reform Plan Includes Caps On Ticketing Fees, Secondary Market Regulation

The National Independent Talent Organization, which formed during the COVID pandemic representing artists, their managers and talent representatives, has released and a nine-point platform it says will reform concert ticketing.

The platform includes fan-friendly measures including capping fees and allowing fan-to-fan resale without additional fees, while also advocating artists and their representatives to have access to their own ticket buyer data and for primary ticketing companies like Ticketmaster and Axs to be banned from partaking or profiting from secondary ticket sales.

Forty-four independent booking agencies and management companies have signed on endorsing the NITO platform. Lobbying alongside the National Independent Venue Association, NITO was instrumental in helping to secure $16.5 billion in relief for independent music venues and related enterprises.

NITO’s statement is shared below.

NITO Ticketing Platform

The National Independent Talent Organization supports:

● Itemized All-In Ticketing, where the fees are clearly separated from the face value of the ticket

● Fee transparency, wherein all fees are clearly listed and included on each and every offer sheet

● A cap on ticket fees

● Fan-to-Fan face value transfer with no additional fees

● The right for the Artist and/or Artist’s rep to control the terms of resale on their own tickets

● A ban on speculative ticketing on the secondary market

● A ban on primary ticketing platforms taking place in and profiting from secondary market sales

● The ability for artists and their representatives to access their own ticket buyer data for their use

● Stronger laws and enforcement to end ticketing bots

Forty-four NITO member management companies and booking agencies have signed on to publicly endorse and work to implement the NITO Ticketing Platform. They are (in alphabetical order): Arrival Artists, Artisan Agency, Ashley Talent International, Big Fish Booking Company, Bonfire Touring, Cass Clayton Music, Ceremony Music Group, ComboPlate Booking, Concerted Efforts, Core Entertainment, Crossover Touring, Distance Management, Entourage Talent Associates, Fenway Recordings, Force Media Management, Fort William Management, Ground Control Touring, High Road Touring, Intrepid Artists International, The Kurland Agency, Leave Home Booking, Lobel Arts, Lytle Management Group, Madison House, Magnus Talent Agency, Manage This!, Mongrel Music, Musical Concepts, New Frontier Touring, Nimbleslick Entertainment, Nine Mile, Paladin Artists, Partisan Arts, Patrick Rains and Associates, Pinnacle Entertainment, RajiWorld, Skyline Artists Agency, Sound Talent Group, SRO Artists, The Mark Spector Company, This Is Management, TKO, TT Management, and Upward Spiral Music.

The next steps for NITO include partnering with like-minded organizations to help pass federal and state legislation that protects artists and fans, direct lobbying of legislators, promoters, and ticketing companies, as well as establishing and creating an awareness campaign to educate the industry and fans regarding these issues.

“Excessive ticketing surcharges and the secondary market represent a direct threat to a healthy live music business community.” – NITO President Frank Riley, High Road Touring

“A broken ticket-buying experience now overshadows tour announcements, and at some point, fans will say ‘enough is enough.’ Between outrageous fees and scalpers, it’s harder than ever to buy a ticket at the price the artist sets.” – NITO Ticketing Task Force Chairman, Nathaniel Marro, Entourage Talent Associates

“The magic of the live concert is in that unique moment when fans can experience a deep, in-person connection with their favorite artist. Unfortunately, the very beginning of that concert going experience – the ticket buying process itself – has become a very distasteful transaction. In that regard, we as an industry are neglecting the fans, who are the very ones that put food on everyone’s table.” – NITO Executive Board Member Michel Vega, CEO of Magnus Media

“The artists and not just the industry are speaking out about this issue, it’s a cause that fans want to support and be more informed about. Seems to be at a tipping point for needed transparency and change.”- NITO Executive Board Member Ami Spishock, Fort William Artist Management