I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 950 
To prohibit restrictions on the resale of event tickets sold in interstate 
commerce as an unfair or deceptive act or practice. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 8, 2011 
Mr. MATHESON (for himself and Mr. TERRY) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To prohibit restrictions on the resale of event tickets sold 
in interstate commerce as an unfair or deceptive act 
or practice. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ticket Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Sponsors and promoters of major music, 
sporting, and theatrical events are increasingly seek-
ing to control the resale of tickets to such events in 
the secondary market, by employing restrictive State 
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laws, imposing and enforcing onerous contractual or 
license terms, and imposing technological barriers on 
ticket resale. 
(2) Such restrictions and downstream controls 
substantially impede interstate commerce in event 
tickets, drive up ticket prices, reduce availability of 
tickets to interested purchasers, narrow the choices 
available to the public, and are unfair to consumers. 
(3) Eliminating such restrictions and applying 
free market principles to the secondary market in 
event tickets would encourage a robust competitive 
marketplace in such tickets, would promote the 
healthy growth of electronic commerce in such tick-
ets in online marketplaces, and would be in the best 
interests of ticket purchasers, fans, and the general 
public. 
(4) Purchasers of event tickets, whether in the 
primary or secondary ticket markets, are entitled to 
minimum consumer protection standards, including 
provisions for full refunds of ticket purchases in ap-
propriate circumstances. 
(5) In order to achieve a nationwide free mar-
ket in resale of event tickets, Congress must act to 
preempt State or local laws that unjustifiably re-
strict such resales, while preserving State and local 
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authority to legislate or regulate to prevent fraud, 
maintain public order, or vindicate other legitimate 
State and local interests. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Federal Trade Commission. 
(2) EVENT.—The term ‘‘event’’ means any con-
cert, theatrical performance, sporting event, exhi-
bition, show, or similar scheduled activity, taking 
place in a venue with a seating or attendance capac-
ity exceeding 1,000 persons— 
(A) that is open to the general public; 
(B) for which an admission fee is charged; 
and 
(C) that is promoted, advertised, or mar-
keted in interstate commerce or for which event 
tickets are generally sold in interstate com-
merce. 
(3) EVENT TICKET.—The term ‘‘event ticket’’ 
means any physical, electronic, or other form of a 
certificate, document, voucher, token, or other evi-
dence indicating that the bearer, possessor, or per-
son entitled to possession through purchase or other-
wise has— 
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