GLENDALE, AZ — At State Farm Stadium in Glendale, A-list artists like Kendrick Lamar will be performing next year, but even before those tickets officially go on sale, scalpers and resellers are trying to sell you “speculative tickets” at a much higher price.
One Arizona lawmaker, however, says that directly violates a new state law.
ABC15 checked out prices on StubHub, and found a single field ticket for Lamar's concert has almost reached a whopping $2,000. Other tickets are also costing hundreds of dollars.
The catch is that actual tickets go on sale for the public on Wednesday. It is all part of the speculative ticket market, according to Arizona lawmaker Analise Ortiz.
"This is when a re-saler or a scalper sells a ticket before they even have it in their possession," said Ortiz, who is a state representative for Legislative District 24.
Ortiz says this practice is not only deceptive, it leads to exorbitant ticket prices.
"And it takes away the opportunity for real fans to purchase real tickets at a price they can afford,” said Ortiz.
It is an issue lawmakers in Arizona tackled this last legislative session, HB 2194 specifically outlawed speculative ticketing in the state. But the problem has not gone away, scalpers are still using platforms like StubHub to sell these tickets, according to Ortiz.
Ticket exchange and resale sites came under high scrutiny two years ago during the Taylor Swift Eras Tour ticket fiasco.
Consumers tell ABC15 they have had enough.
"Certain artists have been over-sold and things like that.. especially like Taylor Swift and bigger name people," said Miranda Rodriguez, who was visiting Glendale on Tuesday for a concert.
"It's very frustrating. I mean that's one of the main reasons why you want to jump on it early," said Dylan Banks, a Phoenix resident.
Ortiz says she has already reached out to the state attorney general to make sure the law is enforced and that consumers are protected.
"What's important is that we have the enforcement mechanisms to go after bad actors and make sure that ticket resale sites like StubHub are following the law," said Ortiz.
We reached out to StubHub, who told us StubHub's policies prohibit the sale of speculative tickets and supports regulating the sale of speculative tickets with common sense policies to protect fans. The company reiterated that there is no incentive for anyone to attempt to sell an invalid ticket on StubHub, and sellers will not be paid unless the buyer gets into the event successfully. Sellers found to be in breach of their seller policy will face fines and removal from the platform.
StubHub officials add that ticket holders often have access to tickets before the general public for a variety of events, and tickets may appear on resale marketplaces before public sales because many stakeholders like season ticket holders, the artists, and individuals involved with the tours can't always use the tickets.
StubHub says their security team is reviewing the matter and will take appropriate action as needed. They say their ticket marketplace operates under "robust legal and operational safeguards to ensure compliance in all jurisdictions, including Arizona."
