Utah Chapter President Urges Resale Price Cap Addition to HB0029
UTAH (Feb. 24, 2026) - The President of the Utah Chapter of the National Independent Venue Association and co-founder of The State Room Presents, Darin Piccoli, sent a letter to members of the Utah Senate Business and Labor Committee urging them to strengthen HB0029 “Unfair and Deceptive Pricing Amendments,” by adding a resale price cap on live entertainment tickets to protect consumers.
The letter highlights the state of the current ticket resale market, which is dominated by bots and large brokers who hoard tickets, create artificial scarcity, and drive extreme markups. With Utah households already facing higher costs for housing, groceries, utilities, and healthcare, live events are becoming out of reach for many Utah families.
“Utah is currently one of the most scalper-friendly states in the country,” said Darin Piccoli. “Adding a resale price cap to HB0029 would protect fans from gouging, support independent, community-based businesses like ours, and restore a fair and affordable ticket marketplace in Utah.”
Lawmakers in multiple states across the country are considering similar policies aimed at addressing excessive ticket resale practices and improving consumer protections in live event ticketing markets.
Click here to read the full letter.
ABOUT NIVA
The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is the national trade association representing thousands of independent live entertainment venues, festivals, promoters, and more. NIVA works to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of live entertainment. NIVA empowers members and their teams with member benefits, advocacy on the state, local, and federal levels, an annual industry-leading conference, and more.
NIVA led the Save Our Stages campaign, culminating in landmark legislation in 2020 that established the $16.25 billion Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, the largest arts investment in U.S. history.
NIVA is committed to equity in its support of independent stages. It seeks to create and encourage opportunities for venues, promoters, and festivals owned, operated, and staffed by people of color, women, non-binary, LGBTQ+, veterans, and people with disabilities.
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