Research Highlights
Professor Lawrence White Testifies Before New York City Council Committee on Paperless Ticketing
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On October 28, Lawrence White, Robert Kavesh Professor of Economics, testified at a New York City Council Committee hearing on the issue of "paperless" ticketing for sports and concert venues. White said that paperless ticketing carries substantial risks of inhibiting competition in the secondary ticket markets.
While there are advantages to paperless ticketing, such as reducing the inconvenience due to lost tickets, White stated that paperless ticketing “clearly reduces a first-instance buyer’s flexibility… and may be a means… to restrict competition in the secondary market more generally.”
White concluded that paperless ticketing is an innovation that may have more cons than pros. He recommended that NY State’s current approach – which allows paperless ticketing but requires that a less restrictive alternative also be offered – should be continued. He also suggested continued monitoring of the issue, since worthwhile innovation in this area ought not to be discouraged, but important competition and consumer protection issues are at stake.
Read Professor White’s testimony>>
While there are advantages to paperless ticketing, such as reducing the inconvenience due to lost tickets, White stated that paperless ticketing “clearly reduces a first-instance buyer’s flexibility… and may be a means… to restrict competition in the secondary market more generally.”
White concluded that paperless ticketing is an innovation that may have more cons than pros. He recommended that NY State’s current approach – which allows paperless ticketing but requires that a less restrictive alternative also be offered – should be continued. He also suggested continued monitoring of the issue, since worthwhile innovation in this area ought not to be discouraged, but important competition and consumer protection issues are at stake.
Read Professor White’s testimony>>