Released: January 30, 2012

Joint statement: Minnesota legislation regarding restrictive paperless tickets

Contact: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), National Consumers League

Washington, DC--Consumer Action and the National Consumers League (NCL) jointly issued the following statement regarding legislation scheduled for hearings in the Minnesota House Commerce and Regulatory Reform Committee and the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee this week.

“Consumer Action and the National Consumers League support legislation to safeguard consumer rights from the practice of restrictive paperless ticketing. Ticket sellers, sports teams and event promoters have seriously damaged the rights of consumers through the use of restrictive tickets and we support attempts to curtail their spread.

“Restrictive paperless tickets dictate how – or whether – consumers can share or transfer their tickets, including whether they are permitted to give away tickets to charitable organizations or re-sell their tickets for any price,” said John Breyault, NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud.  “By dictating that all ticket transfers and resales be made through their own websites, sellers like Ticketmaster and Veritix monopolize resale markets and eliminate consumer choice.”

NCL and Consumer Action applaud Minnesota’s proactive response to this damaging practice and Senator Gerlach’s and Representative Hoppe’s leadership in introducing these bills. We strongly encourage both committees to protect consumer rights.

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About Consumer Action

Consumer Action has been a champion of underrepresented consumers nationwide since 1971. A nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, Consumer Action focuses on consumer education that empowers low to moderate income and limited-English-speaking consumers to financially prosper. It also advocates for consumers in the media and before lawmakers to advance consumer rights and promote industry-wide change.

About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America's pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.