Assemblyman Vincent Prieto, the lead sponsor of legislation that would bring transparency to ticket sales, is warning fans to expect a fast sellout for the April 28th Rihanna concert at the Prudential Center in Newark because only a fraction of the stadium’s nearly 19,000 seats will likely be made available to the public.

Quick Sell Out Expected for Rihanna Concert

Because of the significant number of tickets set aside for fan club and premium credit card pre-sales and VIPs, tickets to Rihanna’s concerts have been known to sell out in as little as 10 minutes, leaving thousands of fans disappointed.

Prieto explains that ticket hold-backs happen when event producers, concert promoters, and artists pre-sell or reserve tickets for companies, record labels, VIPs, fan clubs, credit card holders, and personal friends. The numbers can be staggering.

Only 1,001 of 14,000 tickets were available to the public for a recent Justin Bieber concert in Tennessee.

“Rihanna fans in New Jersey should be prepared for a fast sellout when tickets go on sale to the public this Friday,” says Prieto (D-Hudson). “Fans often feel like the odds are stacked against them when they go to purchase tickets to their favorite show.”

Lawmaker Wants Purchasers to Get More Upfront Info on Hold-Backs

Prieto’s legislation would require advanced public notice of when tickets will go on sale and disclosure by ticket issuers of, among other items, the number of tickets that will be made available and the outlets through which they will be sold. It also prohibits the use of software or technology that enables the purchase of tickets in excess of limits set by an issuer. That technique is often used by scalpers.

The bill also bans the resale of tickets not in a reseller’s possession or control unless that policy is disclosed in advance, and a full refund is made within ten days if the reseller is unsuccessful in securing tickets.

Finally, the it prohibits any restrictions on a ticket’s transfer that would prevent a ticket-holder from giving away, donating or reselling his/her ticket.

Prieto says, “New Jersey’s concertgoers deserve more upfront information when it comes to ticket pre-sales and other hold-backs that make it difficult to obtain live event tickets.”

Tickets for the April 28th Rihanna concert at the Prudential Center go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Friday, January 25. CitiCard credit cardholders have the ability to purchase tickets in advance.

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