n this episode of The Live Music Industry Podcast, we dive into the critical issue of ticketing reform with two key figures from the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA)—Dayna Frank, President of NIVA, and Stephen Parker, Executive Director. Dayna and Stephen discuss the powerful 'Fix the Tix' initiative, a legislative effort designed to address the challenges caused by secondary ticket sales, scalping, and deceptive practices in the ticketing market. The initiative aims to create a fairer, more transparent ticketing environment, ensuring that tickets are accessible to genuine fans at prices set by artists and promoters. With firsthand insights, advocacy tips, and a vision for the future of live music, this episode is an essential listen for anyone invested in the future of live music, ticketing, and fan experience.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• The Origins and Goals of 'Fix the Tix': Dayna and Stephen break down the goals of the 'Fix the Tix' initiative—a coalition formed to protect fans and artists from exploitative ticketing practices. They discuss how the coalition is advocating for legislative changes that would make it easier for fans to buy tickets at fair prices, directly from the artists and promoters.
• Scalpers and Their Tactics: One of the most fascinating parts of the conversation is Dayna’s recounting of her undercover experience at a ticket broker conference, where she discovered the sophisticated methods used by scalpers to secure tickets in bulk, such as using multiple IP addresses, digital credit cards, and bots to bypass purchasing limits. These tactics have significantly contributed to the inflated prices of tickets on secondary markets.
• Spec Tickets and Fraud Prevention: The discussion also covers the growing issue of spec tickets, where scalpers list tickets they don’t actually own. Dayna explains the dangers of these fraudulent practices and why legislation is needed to require ticket sellers to possess the tickets before listing them. This would protect consumers from purchasing invalid or nonexistent tickets.
• Fair Secondary Ticketing: While 'Fix the Tix' is not against secondary ticket sales, Dayna and Stephen clarify that the initiative aims to create a fairer environment for secondary sales. They outline how the 'Fix the Tix' Act calls for transparency measures and mandatory reporting of bots and illegal practices. The goal is to ensure that tickets are resold at fair prices, not artificially inflated through deceptive tactics.
• The Legislative Effort: The Fix the Tix bill has been introduced in Congress and has already garnered support from industry stakeholders, including consumer protection agencies, artists, and live music professionals. Dayna and Stephen explain why advocacy is critical to the bill’s success, urging listeners to reach out to their congressional representatives to show support for the initiative.
• Independent Venues & Ticketing Power: The episode highlights the strength of the independent venues and their role in pushing for fair ticketing practices. Dayna and Stephen discuss how independent venues are advocating for more control over the ticketing process, ensuring that artists and fans benefit, without interference from scalpers and ticketing middlemen.
• The Role of Public Policy: Dayna emphasizes that solving the scalping problem requires more than just technology—it requires legislation. She discusses how recent efforts in California and Maryland have started to address the issue, but federal action is needed to create a nationwide solution.
• The Artist-Fan Connection: A key focus of the discussion is the relationship between artists and fans. Dayna and Stephen argue that ticketing transparency is crucial for preserving this connection, ensuring that fans can buy tickets at fair prices and attend live shows without frustration or confusion caused by unfair ticket sales practices.
• Leadership and NIVA’s Vision: As leaders at NIVA, Dayna and Stephen share their leadership philosophies, discussing how empowering their teams and making evidence-based decisions drives NIVA’s success. Their roles are centered on advocacy, coalition-building, and providing a unified voice for independent venues across the country.
• NIVA Con and the Future of Live Music: The episode also provides a sneak peek into NIVA Con, an upcoming event scheduled for June 2nd-5th, where industry leaders will gather to discuss the future of live music. Stephen shares exciting details about the event, which will focus on data-driven solutions, ticketing reform, and the overall health of the live music industry.
• A Vision for a Thriving Live Music Industry: Finally, Dayna and Stephen reflect on their long-term goals for the live music industry. They highlight the importance of independent choices and data transparency to create a fairer, more sustainable live music ecosystem. They see the live music scene as vital to a peaceful and vibrant society and encourage listeners to be part of the movement for positive change.