Ticketmaster presses New York governor to legalise paperless ticketing

Ticketmaster has urged the US state of New York to make paperless ticket sales legal, the New York Daily News reports.

Ticketmaster reportedly sent Governor Andrew Cuomo a list of priorities ahead of this week’s meeting on state ticketing laws.

The meeting involved the governor’s office, as well as representatives from the ticketing industry, such as Ticketmaster, Live Nation, the Broadway League, as well as resale sites such as StubHub, Ticket Network and Allshows.

“New York should lift its antiquated ban on paperless ticketing,” Ticketmaster urged Cuomo. “This option, available to entertainers in every state in the country except New York, makes it easier for face-value tickets to get into the hands of real fans.”

Ticketmaster also requested that re-sellers be banned from offering tickets they do not yet possess, put a stop to misrepresentative marketing by resellers, as well as reject a push by some to require the public disclosure of ticket inventory which, Ticketmaster claims, gives touts an unfair advantage.

“Addressing these issues would improve the ticket marketplace for fans in New York and make it easier for them to buy tickets at a fair price for their favourite events,” Ticketmaster said.

The governor recently passed an extension on the current ticket laws, despite last year saying he would not approve another renewal without pro-consumer changes.

Image: Francisco Diez