‘Taylor Swift Act’ tabled to fight touts in Brazil

The extraordinary worldwide demand for Taylor Swift tickets has led to calls for stiffer punishments for touting in Brazil.

Some fans were allegedly threatened with violence by touts last week while waiting in line to buy tickets in São Paulo for the Brazilian dates of the singer’s Eras Tour.

Police removed 30 suspected scalpers from the queue and made at least 10 arrests. Nevertheless, Brazilian media reports tickets are being offered for sale in-person and online at up to 10x face value.

Congresswoman Simone Marquetto’s “Taylor Swift Act” would increase the maximum sentence for ticket touting from two to four years in prison, and fines of up to 100x the original price of the tickets, which in Swift’s case range from 190 to 1,050 reals (€36 to €201).

“Fans claim that dealers purchased a large number of tickets, making it impossible for other consumers,” says Marquetto, as per The Brazilian Report. “These ticket touts’ activity deprives the less fortunate, preventing them from attending the desired show and constitutes a true crime against the public economy.”

Swift will play three nights in Rio de Janeiro at Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos from 17-19 November and a further three shows at São Paulo’s Allianz Parque from 24-26 November, promoted by Tickets for Fun. A sixth date was added after the five initial concerts sold out in 40 minutes, as more than two million people attempted to buy tickets online.

“Event promoters must take responsibility for the sale of their tickets and act to curb the actions of scalpers”

Billboard reports that Marquetto’s bill also opens up the possibility of fining promoters and sponsors that allow touting to occur.

“This crime is sometimes carried out with the consent of the promoter and even in conjunction with scalpers,” adds Marquetto’s bill. “Event promoters must take responsibility for the sale of their tickets and act to curb the actions of scalpers.”

Millions of people also recently attempted to buy tickets for the singer’s first concerts in Argentina. Swift also revealed the dates for the 2024 European leg of the Eras Tour last week. In addition, she has added three more shows at Singapore’s National Stadium from 7-9 March, bringing her total number of gigs in the country to six – matching Coldplay’s record-setting haul in the country.

The fallout from last year’s original tour presale in the United States prompted a Senate antitrust hearing and opened the floodgates for calls for ticketing reform. Last month, two Massachusetts lawmakers proposed new ticketing rules dubbed the “Taylor Swift Bill”, and New Jersey representatives Bill Pascrell and Frank Pallone introduced their updated BOSS and SWIFT Act.

Last week meanwhile, it was announced by US president Joe Biden that Live Nation and others have pledged to adopt all-in ticket pricing, which will enable fans to see the full cost of their transactions upfront.

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