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StubHub reportedly spending millions in bid to stop bill on capping ticket resale prices in the US
StubHub has reportedly spent nearly $6.2 million lobbying in California as lawmakers consider a bill that would limit ticket resale prices. The proposed California Fans First Act aims to curb ticket touting for smaller independent venues, while opponents argue it could leave wider ticket-pricing practices unchanged.
The bill would restrict resale prices for eligible events to 10 per cent above face value, cap marketplace fees and require disclosure of the original price. It covers venues holding up to 3,000 people and has passed the California Assembly, with the state Senate now considering it; it is supported by artist and venue groups, as well as Live Nation, while StubHub and SeatGeek oppose it.
In short
- StubHub reportedly spent $6.2 million lobbying against California resale limits.
- The bill would cap eligible ticket resales at 10 per cent above face value.
- It applies to independent venues with capacities of 3,000 or fewer.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Price regulation protects ordinary fans and supports artists by preventing speculators from capturing profits that should benefit creators and venues. When tickets resell at enormous markups, that money flows to middlemen rather than the performers or small independent venues that set the original price. Capping resales ensures the original pricing decision—made by artists and venues about what their work is worth—remains meaningful, and it preserves cultural access for working-class fans who would otherwise be priced out of attending.
The case against
Secondary markets serve essential economic functions that regulation disrupts. If buyers know they cannot resell tickets at market value, they face greater risk and venues lose a mechanism for capturing latent demand through initial pricing; venues can simply charge more upfront if they want higher revenue. Price caps also treat symptoms rather than causes and risk driving trading to unregulated platforms or black markets. Property rights matter: people who purchased tickets should have the freedom to sell them at whatever price they agree with buyers, and restricting that retroactively undermines legitimate expectations and market efficiency.
Explained simply
StubHub and SeatGeek are online marketplaces where people can resell tickets, sometimes for more than the original price. The California Fans First Act would limit resale prices for covered events to 10 per cent above face value, cap fees and require the original price to be shown.
The bill applies to events at venues with up to 3,000 seats. It has passed the state Assembly and is being considered by the Senate. Artist and venue groups support it, as does Live Nation, while StubHub and SeatGeek oppose it.
The debate is about how to make tickets more affordable and who should set the rules for resale. Supporters say the limits could help smaller venues and their audiences; opponents argue they may not change wider ticket-pricing practices.