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Push to legalize ticket scalping
Some Minnesota lawmakers say it's time for government and police to leave ticket scalpers and their customers to their own devices. It's a tradition as old as professional sports, entrepreneurs standing in the shadows hawking hard-to-find tickets for more than face value. Although the practice is commonplace, it's illegal in Minnesota. Most of the action has moved from the streets outside sports venues to the Internet. But at times, especially during high profile events or games featuring major stars, police will be assigned to go crack down on the scalpers. "This isn?t a crime," said Rep Chris DeLaForest Thursday. "What this is it?s a legal transaction the same way as if two people got together to sell a used car." The Andover Republican authored a bill that would decriminalize ticket scalping, or "secondary marketing" as he prefers to call it. "Professional teams come up with what they believe is the right price for a ticket," he told KARE 11. "If subsequently the purchaser of the ticket wants to resell it for face value, more than face value, or less than face value that is a legitimate contract that government or professional sports teams have no right to interfere with." Minneapolis lawmaker Phyllis Kahn testified in favor of the bill Thursday during a hearing before thet House Public Safety committee. Kahn interjected some humor into her remarks. "Many people who call us to support this bill are not interested in appearing in public to testify on it," Kahn joked. But she was all business when listing the number of Minneapolis police assigned in the past to patrol for ticket scalpers at the Metrodome during the World Series in 1987 and 1991, and during a Final Four tournament. "This is not just wasted police activity. It?s incredibly intensive police activity." The practice of scalping is not illegal in Wisconsin, where it is known as "ticket brokering" in the parlance of the trade. The Hudson based company Ticket King has thrived thanks in part to Minnesota's ban. Professional brokers often warn that buying scarce tickets from street vendors or unknown sellers on the web leaves customers vulnerable to counterfeiters. Rep DeLaForest said nothing about his bill will make counterfeiting more of a problem for consumers. "It?s important to remember that Minnesota still has laws on the books against counterfeiting, or defrauding a person in selling them a good." The committee voted to refer the bill without recommendation to the Commerce and Labor committee where it will face more critics. Vikings official Lester Bagley told WCCO radio Thursday that the team has not studied the bill enough to weigh in on it yet. He did, however, tell reporter Eric Eskola that the NFL typically opposes legislation making ticket scalping legal.
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