Boston's TD Garden is a popular venue for live events. Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — With Kid Rock at his side in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday targeting scalpers and ticket price gouging.
The order ensures federal regulators enforce existing regulations and directs the Federal Trade Commission to work with Attorneys General so that competition laws are followed.
Kid Rock has been a longtime supporter of President Trump and a harsh critic of the rising cost of attending live events due to middlemen.
For many years, concertgoers have complained about hidden fees and scalpers using automated computer programs, called BOTS, to buy tickets in bulk then re-selling them on the secondary market for hundreds of dollars more.
BOTS buy tickets faster and at a larger scale than humans can.
In 2016, President Barack Obama signed the BOTS Act into law making it illegal to buy tickets in bulk using BOTS, then re-selling them for a profit.
But that law is rarely enforced.
Many fans agree with the executive order. "I remember going to the Warped Tour and it was $50 for the entire experience," said one music fan. "But now, that's unheard of."
Another fan said the cost of attending a live event has become out of reach for many people. "If you don't get the pre-sale, I don't know what to tell people."
Another person said while she agrees with the order, she's concerned it will get lost amid the blizzard of orders the president has signed lately. "I cannot keep track of his executive orders," she said. "But I'm willing to bet that any decision that he makes will not be in the best interest of consumers."
President Trump said the executive order will bring common sense changes to the way live events are priced.
WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.