Posted on 11/28/2007 7:08:32 AM PST by TornadoAlley3
TALLAHASSEE -- Responding to what he calls ''obscenely high prices'' for concert tickets, a state lawmaker from Miami Beach wants to crack down on people who scoop up tickets and resell them at hundreds of dollars more than face value.
Rep. Dan Gelber, who has two daughters, ages 7 and 9, will unveil his proposed legislation Tuesday at North Beach Elementary School, just hours before Disney Channel pop sensation Hannah Montana performs at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise.
His bill -- which would have to navigate through a GOP-controlled Legislature before becoming law -- takes aim primarily at those who resell tickets. Gelber, the House Democratic leader, is upset with ticket brokers and others who obtained large numbers of tickets to the Montana show through automated software. Tickets for Hannah Montana are being resold for hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of dollars more than face value.
''A lot of people who wanted to go to the concert would have obtained tickets instead of most of them going to scalpers and resellers,'' said Gelber, who said he was unable to buy tickets to the Montana show because he was unwilling to pay the inflated prices.
Last year, state lawmakers repealed Florida's anti-scalping law that prevented anyone from reselling a concert ticket for more than $1 above the face value. The Legislature overwhelmingly approved the proposal.
Gelber's bill would not bring back the anti-scalping law, but it would make it a crime to use ''ticket purchasing software'' to obtain tickets from a website. The legislation would also require companies that resell tickets to register with the state and post a $50,000 bond. Those who break the law could be fined three times the amount of the scalped ticket.
Any effort to impose price caps on resold tickets would likely be opposed by those who pushed to change Florida law in 2006.
A spokesman for Ticketmaster, the world's largest ticketing company, said there remains a need for people to be able to buy tickets from those who are reselling.
''We recognize and respect the need for a legitimate resale market -- one where tickets are acquired initially in an appropriate and lawful manner, where all relevant laws are complied with, and where the terms and conditions set by the event provider'' are respected, said spokesman Joseph Freeman.
Gelber is trying to enlist the help of Miley Cyrus, the teenage girl who portrays Montana, to join him. Gelber wrote a letter to her agent in California on Monday asking her to attend his Tuesday press conference.
''My daughters -- Sophie [age 9] and Hannah [age 7] -- love your show. My wife and I also like it because it contains family friendly themes. Regrettably, our daughters will be unable to attend your Broward County concert on Tuesday because so many of the tickets were purchased by ticket scalpers who are reselling them at obscenely high premiums,'' Gelber wrote.
''I recognize that the circumstances that created this were not of your making. However, it has hurt your fans -- including the ones in my family -- so I hope you will be willing to speak out,'' he added.
Hannah Montana concerts have created a frenzy across the country and three state attorney generals have launched investigations into the sale of the tickets. Last week a lawsuit was filed against Montana's fan club, alleging that those who joined were told that they would be given first crack at concert tickets.
Daddy using his position of power for his own benefit....
$50 says he’s raising a couple of little princesses
I thought this story was about Former President Clinton. Of course, then he would be going after the concertgoers, not the scalpers...
I looked at the headline too quick!
I thought it read Bill Targets Hannah Montana. I thought, “There goes that ole’ philanderer again!”
LOL!
Free Market is quickly being replaced. Other artists have found reasonable ways around this issue without government intervention.
You can't fool me, I know you read the second sentence of the article!
Can anyone remember the last time a new law was proposed just because a lawmaker’s little girls got their feelings hurt?
The concert promoter should just put all the tickets on eBay. The market would decide the price for every seat and the artist/promoter would get the money instead of these scalper who really add nothing of value to the process.
I’m waiting for the day when all tickets for entertainment (sports, concerts, etc.) are sold on an auction basis.
I gotta be honest . . . she’s a pretty girl, and from all accounts a decent talent, but I cannot stand the name “Miley.”
Dang. I read the title and thought Slick was about to make the move on Billy Ray’s kid.
I read an article about her recently when I was waiting somewhere. Hairdresser, I think. Anyway, “Miley” is a nickname; her real name is “Destiny Hope Cyrus,” which I think is also crummy.
She’s here in Atlanta tonight. Up to 5000 bogus tickets have been bought. The only way to find out if your tickets are bogus are to show up at the show and have your tickets scanned. Good tickets go in, bogus tickets go home. That’ll be one hell of a ride back to the house.
Yes, I must admit that my first thought involved x42 and a stripper with a cowgirl gimmick...
Okay, how on EARTH does one extract “Miley” from “Destiny Hope”?
And speaking of, did Billy Ray and the missus get lazy re naming and just pick their favorite inspirational nouns?
It's gonna be ugly.
I always think of a horse my mom used to own named "Smiley". ;)
Exactly. “Miley” sounds like a little kid failing to pronounce “smiley” correctly.
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