Kid Rock to Appear Before US Senate on Ticketing and Scalping

Kid Rock is set to testify at the US Senate Commerce Committee’s public hearing on live event ticket sale practices, including fees charged by primary and secondary sellers, and the impact of automated bots on sale practices.

The hearing:

• The “Fees Rolled on All Summer Long: Examining the Live Entertainment Industry” hearing will take place on Wednesday January 28 at 2.30pm ET.

• It will be held by the US Senate Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy.

• The panel will include Kid Rock, Live Nation’s antitrust head Dan Wall, the Ticket Policy Forum’s Brian Berry, and concert promoter David Weingarten, representing the Colorado Independent Venue Association.

• As per Digital Music News, the group will address “unfair ticketing issues,” including areas such as all-in-pricing and “federal enforcement actions that remain ongoing.”

• It will be livestreamed on YouTube and via the committee website.

What they said:

• Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN): “The artist-fan connection is the foundation of the live entertainment industry, but the ticketing industry has exploited this connection by enabling scammers to drive up ticket prices and take advantage of consumers. Americans should not have to battle bots and fraudsters to see their favorite band or sports team, and that is exactly why the FTC is taking decisive action to hold bad actors accountable. This hearing will provide critical congressional oversight to ensure the ticketing industry puts consumers before scammers, and I look forward to hearing from each of the witnesses.”