Dear Editor,
Live events are the heartbeat of Vermont’s communities and local economy. A recent commentary claims that H.512, legislation that will support Vermont’s live events sector, is somehow helping Ticketmaster. As executive director of the Vermont Arts Council and a member of the Vermont Creative Network Steering Team, I want to set the record straight.
The claim that H.512 will benefit Live Nation-Ticketmaster in Vermont is simply not true. More importantly, it distracts from the real issue Vermonters are facing: a predatory ticket resale market that is harming consumers and local venues.
Let’s start with the facts. Vermont has no venues owned by Ticketmaster or Live Nation. Our live event ecosystem is independent, local and deeply rooted in our communities. H.512 will protect that system, not invite outside corporations into it.
So what does the bill actually do? It targets deceptive and exploitative resale practices that Vermonters know all too well: fake websites that look like official venue pages, tickets being listed for resale before they are even available to the public, and resale ticket prices inflated far beyond their original value. These practices don’t create a healthy market; they distort it.
H.512 sets reasonable guardrails. It allows individuals to resell tickets when plans change, while placing limits on commercial resellers who profit from manipulation and artificial scarcity. It also bans deceptive websites and speculative ticket sales and gives the attorney general tools to enforce the law.
The argument that a resale price cap somehow strengthens Ticketmaster ignores a key reality: Vermont’s problem isn’t the primary ticket market. It’s the unregulated resale market and the resale corporations siphoning money out of our communities and away from local venues.
Vermonters overwhelmingly support fixing this problem through legislation. The bill is supported by a broad coalition of Vermont’s independent for-profit and nonprofit arts, culture and sports event venues. More than 250 Vermont businesses, nonprofits and individuals signed on in support of H.512 in just 10 days, and that number would have been higher with more time. From families overpaying for local performances to fans shut out of events altogether, the impact is real and growing.
We are also seeing firsthand how well-funded national interests and large corporations are working to confuse this issue and protect their ability to profit from Vermont audiences and venues. That only underscores why action is needed.
H.512 is a practical, Vermont-focused solution. It protects consumers, supports independent venues and keeps more dollars in our local economy.
That’s not helping a monopoly. That’s standing up for Vermont.
Susan Evans McClure
Hinesburg, Vt.
