Ticket Transferability Saves Sports Fans $475 Million Since 2017
Sports Fans Coalition looked at data provided by Automatiq, a leading data provider for ticketing companies; SFC was able to see a significant snapshot of the industry with some very interesting data. The data includes 43,707,045tickets sold from 2017 through 2024 for Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and the National Hockey League (NHL). Since 2017, fans have saved more than $475 million.
SFC Endorses two Immediate Ticket Delivery Bills
Today, Sports Fans Coalition testified in Arizona and Washington State (virtual) on two different immediate ticket delivery bills, AZ HB 2748 and WA SB 5676. Director of Public Policy Brian Young flew to Phoenix and represented the fans in support of the Fair Ticketing Act, while Executive Director Brian Hess remained in DC but testified virtually in Olympia.
Maryland’s HB 922/SB 708: A Game-Changer for Sports Betting Transparency
Sports betting is here to stay, but that doesn’t mean fans should be left to navigate a minefield of misleading ads, murky betting advice, and predatory promotions. Since passing our Sports Bettors’ Bill of Rights in Maryland, the state has led the nation in terms of consumer protections for sports bettors. But there’s still a missing piece—independent oversight of sports betting content.
Optimum’s Blackout Betrayal: Tri-State Attorneys General Stand up for Fans
Tri-state sports fans gained three new champions this week when NY Attorney General Letitia James, along with CT Attorney General William Tong and NJ Attorney General Matthew Platkin demanded that Altice USA's Optimum cable service issue automatic refunds to customers deprived of MSG Networks due to an ongoing blackout. For the last several weeks, SFC has also called for refunds to sports fans.
It’s Time to Decriminalize Resale in New Mexico
Across the country, states are rolling back outdated and anti-consumer laws that unfairly penalize individuals for engaging in common-sense economic activity. From outdated blue laws to rigid licensing requirements, governments are modernizing regulations to better reflect today’s realities—except, it seems, in New Mexico, where ticket resale remains criminalized (and punishable by up to a year in jail) in a way that disproportionately harms students.
SFC praises passage of TICKET Act from Senate Commerce Committee
Fans have called out for the TICKET Act for many years. Today Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Cantwell, and Senators Schmitt and Markey answered that call and advanced commonsense consumer protections in ticketing that will help sports fans buy tickets to their favorite games and protect them from deceptive sales. We thank them for their tireless leadership on this issue, and urge the Senate to pass the bill quickly.
Fans Fight Back: Over 2,000 Speak Out Against Optimum’s MSG Blackout
Sports fans are fed up—and they’re making their voices heard. More than 2,000 fans have mobilized, sending more than 14,000 emails to lawmakers demanding an end to the outrageous blackout that has kept Knicks and Rangers games off their screens.
Optimum’s Blackout Betrayal: How Consumers are Paying the Price for Altice USA’s MSG Blackout
On January 1, 2025, the carriage agreement between MSG Networks and Altice expired, leaving more than 1 million households across the tri-state area without access to the important local sports they pay for as part of their Optimum cable subscription. That sports programming includes exclusive live coverage of major league sports teams like the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils.