California Bill to Cap Concert Ticket Resale Prices Fails to Advance

A California proposal aimed at limiting how much concert tickets can be marked up on the secondary market has failed to advance, delivering a setback to efforts to curb ticket scalping in one of the country’s largest live entertainment markets.

Assembly Bill 1720, known as the California Fans First Act, was stopped Thursday in the state’s Appropriations Committee. The measure would have imposed a 10 percent ceiling on the resale price of eligible concert tickets, meaning tickets could not be resold for more than 110 percent of their original price. Supporters argued the restriction would reduce the financial incentive for professional ticket brokers to purchase large quantities of tickets and relist them at substantial markups.

The legislation was introduced in February by Assemblymember Matt Haney, who argued that California needed to take action as concertgoers increasingly face high prices and limited access to tickets during initial sales. The proposal was later narrowed so the resale cap would apply only to events at venues with a capacity of 3,000 people or fewer.

That change excluded many of the large arenas and stadiums where some of the most expensive concerts take place and where secondary-market tickets can draw significant markups. The narrower proposal still remained a point of contention among artists, venues, industry groups and ticketing companies.

Supporters of AB 1720 included the National Independent Venue Association and its California chapter, as well as the Music Artists Coalition and Live Nation. Advocates argued that restricting resale prices would reduce potential profits for scalpers and discourage buying tickets primarily to resell them at inflated prices.

They also framed the legislation as a consumer-protection measure, arguing that fans should have a better chance of purchasing tickets at prices closer to those originally set by artists, promoters and venues. The debate is part of a broader national discussion over ticketing practices, including high resale prices, dynamic pricing and access to tickets through official sales.

Ticket resale companies strongly opposed the restrictions. StubHub was among the most prominent opponents, spending $3.4 million this year lobbying against AB 1720.

The company has argued that secondary marketplaces give consumers flexibility by allowing people who missed an initial sale to find tickets later, while giving ticket holders a way to sell seats they can no longer use. In a statement, a StubHub spokesperson described its marketplace as a secure and verified way for fans to access live events and maintained that consumers benefit from greater choice and changing prices as an event approaches.

Haney has vowed to continue pursuing legislation addressing ticket resale practices despite AB 1720’s failure to advance. He said he plans to continue working with a coalition of fans, artists and venues seeking changes to the secondary ticket market and pointed to support from artists including Kid Rock and Noah Kahan.

Other states have also moved to regulate the resale market. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott signed legislation in May establishing a 10 percent cap on the resale price of qualifying tickets. Maine enacted separate ticketing reforms in 2025 that included a 10 percent limit on fees charged by resale marketplaces, along with restrictions on speculative ticket sales and other practices.

AB 1720’s failure in the Appropriations Committee ends the measure’s path forward this session, although Haney has said he intends to continue pursuing restrictions on ticket resale practices in California.