The Brian Lehrer Show Lawmakers Attempt to Improve the Ticket-Buying Experience
Sep 12, 2025
James Skoufis, New York State Senator for the 42nd District, discusses vital legislation aimed at regulating the live events ticketing market. He highlights the problems consumers face, including high prices and reseller monopolies, especially with the upcoming Men's World Cup. Skoufis supports Zohran Mamdani's call for better ticket-buying experiences and explores international methods, like Japan's unique ticket lottery system. He emphasizes the need for reforms to ensure fair access and affordability in ticketing, all while navigating local political dynamics.
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Ticketing System Is Fundamentally Broken
- Senator James Skoufis argues the ticketing system is rife with problems from dynamic pricing to holdbacks that price out average fans.
- He frames reform as a pro-consumer quality-of-life issue, not mere entertainment elitism.
Push To Regulate Dynamic Pricing
- Regulate dynamic pricing and require transparency to prevent minute-by-minute price swings that harm fans.
- Treat ticketing reform as a legislative priority when the governing law is up for renewal in 2026.
Holdbacks Shrink Fan Access
- Holdbacks reserve thousands of tickets for VIPs and partners, shrinking supply available to regular fans.
- Resale marketplaces then inflate remaining seats, creating rapid markups right after on-sale.