Artists back Fix The Tix’s reform campaign

Green Day, Lorde and members of Duran Duran and Queen are just some of the artists that have signed Fix The Tix’s letter urging Congress and state legislators to reform the “broken” ticketing system in the US.

Fix The Tix, a campaign group that was launched by US live entertainment market leaders earlier this month, has urged artists to add their name to the letter if they are “fed up with a ticket ecosystem that allows scalpers and professional ticket brokers to price gouge… fans while using deceptive practices to divert revenue away from… shows.”

More than 30 artists, including Simon Le Bon, Roger Taylor and The Cure’s Robert Smith, have already signed the letter.

Fix The Tix claims that the letter, which is addressed to Congress and state legislators, “identifies core ticketing reforms needed to protect fans and artists”.

However, it includes little in the way of concrete proposals for how the issues it has identified can be fixed. One reform it does identify is calling on Congress to enable artists and organisers to assign terms and conditions to tickets, which it believes would combat scalpers and bots while ensuring fans always have the ability to resell a ticket.

The letter states: “We know you are hearing from lots of people about concert ticketing and its impact on fans. As artists and members of the music community, we rely on touring for our livelihood, and we value music fans above all else.

“We are joining together to say that the current system is broken:  scalpers and secondary platforms engage in predatory and deceptive ticketing practices to inflate ticket prices and deprive fans the chance to see their favorite artists at a fair price.”

Fix The Tix was launched by 19 leading North American live entertainment and ticketing groups in early May 2023. Founding members included NIVA, APAP, See Tickets and Dice.