Bringing Michigan's Ticket Laws into the 21st-Century

Sports Fans Coalition is on the front line of ticket reform to protect a free, fair and competitive market for fans. SFC’s Executive Director, Brian Hess, testified before the Michigan House of Representatives about reforming Michigan’s out-of-date ticket laws.

Since the 1930s, the law has restricted fans’ the ability to resell their tickets. Michigan law has also failed to protect fans from fraudulent websites known as White Label Ticket Sites (WLTS). WTLS use the same ticket inventory with similar color, text, and imagery of a real ticket website to sell tickets, withholding fees until the end of the transaction, which can double costs.

The introduction of HB 4224, sponsored by Representative Tim Kelly (R-94), will allow the secondary ticket market to flourish in Michigan and create protections against white label deception and other consumer harms. An open secondary market will enable fans to resell their tickets at a more fitting price. The law gives fans the freedom to recuperate ticket costs and fees in the case of illness, work obligations, or family emergencies.  

Under the current antiquated Michigan law, it is a misdemeanor for a fan to resell a ticket above face value. This means fans can go to jail for selling tickets to a game they cannot attend, or for season ticket holders trying to sell some of their tickets to help afford the subscription. Currently, 44 states have free and open secondary ticket markets, leaving Michigan as one of six that do not.

HB 4224 allows consumers the ability to participate and compete with big business while creating strong, enforceable protections against bad actors.

Michiganders, join the movement and have your voice heard by your Representative. With your support, we can bring Michigan's ticket laws into the 21st-century.