Photo Credit: Kentaro Toma
The National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) has released urgent concert ticketing changes needed to reform how tickets are sold.
45 independent booking agencies and management companies have signed on to the nine-point platform. With concert ticketing sales front and center in Washington D.C., NITO is hoping to protect the interests of thousands of musicians, independent booking agencies, and management companies.
NITO formed in the early days of the pandemic and alongside the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), it helped secure $16.5 billion in Shuttered Venue Operating Grants for independent music agents and managers, independent music venues, performing arts centers, and museums. NITO members include hundreds of independent music companies.
The organization is now turning its attention to focusing on unfair ticketing practices and the changes needed to protect musicians and NITO member companies. NITO has pledged to fight for nine major changes in its platform, the NITO Ticketing Platform. This platform supports:
- Itemized All-In Ticketing| All fees are clearly separated from the face value of the ticket.
- Fee Transparency| All fees are clearly listed and included on every offer sheet.
- Ticket Fee Caps
- Fan-to-Fan Face Transfer| Transfer at face value between fans, with no additional fees.
- Resale Ticket Control| Artists and their reps should control terms of resale.
- Speculative Ticketing Ban| Stop speculating on ticket prices in the secondary market.
- Ban Primary Ticketing Platforms from profiting from secondary market sales.
- Artists and reps should have access to their own ticket buyer data for their use.
- Stronger laws and enforcement surrounding ticketing bots.
Forty-five NITO member independent management companies and booking agencies have signed on to publicly endorse and work to implement the NITO Ticketing Platform. They are in alphabetical order below.
Arrival Artists, Artisan Agency, Ashley Talent International, Big Fish Booking Company, Bonfire Touring, Cass Clayton Music, Ceremony Music Group, ComboPlate Booking, Concerted Efforts, Core Entertainment, Crossover Touring, Distance Management, Entourage Talent Associates, Fenway Recordings, Force Media Management, Fort William Management, Ground Control Touring, High Road Touring, Intrepid Artists International, The Kurland Agency, Leafy Green Booking, Leave Home Booking, Lobel Arts, Lytle Management Group, Madison House, Magnus Talent Agency, Manage This!, Mongrel Music, Musical Concepts, New Frontier Touring, Nimbleslick Entertainment, Nine Mile, Paladin Artists, Partisan Arts, Patrick Rains and Associates, Pinnacle Entertainment, RajiWorld, Skyline Artists Agency, Sound Talent Group, SRO Artists, The Mark Spector Company, This Is Management, TKO, TT Management, and Upward Spiral Music.
“A broken ticket-buying experience now overshadows tour announcements, and at some point, fans will say ‘enough is enough,’” adds NITO Ticketing Task Force Chairman Nathaniel Marro. “Between outrageous fees and scalpers, it’s harder than ever to buy a ticket at the price the artist sets.”
