Bill intended to make ticket-selling fair

NEWARK, N.J., June 5 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., has announced federal legislation meant to revamp the concert ticket industry and help fans get affordable tickets.

Pascrell told The (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger the Better Oversight of Secondary Sales and Accountability in Concert Ticketing bill, also known as the Boss Act, would require primary ticket sellers to disclose how many tickets are available for sale to the public, as well as the quantity withheld for fan clubs, presales and artist allocations.

The bill's name is an homage to New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen, whose nickname is The Boss. It would prevent brokers from buying tickets during the first 48 hours of the primary sale and make it illegal for any primary ticket seller, promoter, artist or their employees to resell tickets to events they are involved in at inflated prices, the Star-Ledger said.

The bill is to be introduced in Congress next week.

"The industry needs an overhaul. This is not going to be stopped on a state-by-state basis. This is a situation that needs national attention," the Star-Ledger quoted Pascrell as saying. "Whether we're being hosed by the secondary or primary market is immaterial. We need transparency for both."