New Jersey Democratic Congressmen Bill Pascrell has rejected Pearl Jam’s calls to oppose the BOSS Act, a piece of legislation designed to tackle touting and the use of bots.
The congressman, who said he believes his bill – which is currently being considered by the Energy and Commerce Committee – would overhaul the industry in the US, said he would be happy to talk with the band about “why Live Nation-Ticketmaster doesn’t care about their fans and wants to preserve a corrupt marketplace.”
Pearl Jam requested that Pascrell and Pallone oppose the act, with the veteran American rock band penning a letter to the congressmen stating that the bill “blocks non-transferable ticketing” and “requires primary ticket sellers to disclose the total number of tickets offered to the general public a week before the primary sale.” Pascrell and Congressman Frank Pallone Jr originally introduced the bill, which is officially named the Better Oversight of Secondary Sales and Accountability in Concert Ticketing Act, in 2009 and it was reintroduced last year.
Pascrell responded to Pearl Jam’s letter stating: “For decades now, millions of American fans who want nothing more than to enjoy a little entertainment for their buck have been victimised by the opaque live events marketplace.
“Fans have been pinched, gouged, squeezed, soaked, and outright heisted by a seemingly endless litany of hidden fees, add-ons, and gimmicks created by the unregulated ticket monopolies who operate in the dark with impunity. My bill would be the first comprehensive overhauling of this corrupt marketplace. Music and sports fans have waited long enough for relief.
“Pearl Jam may know a thing or two about making great music, but they’ve been led astray about my legislation. I would be happy to speak with the band about why Live Nation-Ticketmaster doesn’t care about their fans and wants to preserve a corrupt marketplace.”
Pearl Jam, who recently opted to use Ticketmaster’s SafeTix technology for its upcoming tour, previously spoke out against the ticketing giant and its dominance in the market and began boycotting venues that used the ticketing giant as its vendor. The band also spoke before the U.S. Congress, arguing that they had tried to keep ticket prices below $20, but Ticketmaster added high service fees.
Image: Alive87
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