Res 0554-2026

Res. No. 554 ..Title Resolution calling upon professional sports franchises, major entertainment venues, and ticketing partners operating within New York City to voluntarily establish reduced-price Fan Access Programs for high-demand events, which would give priority to local residents, veterans, students, first responders, and longtime fans ..Body By Council Members Morano, Louis and Restler Whereas, New York City is the mecca of live entertainment with influential sports teams, concert venues, and theaters, such as the New York Knicks, the Barclays Center, and the Metropolitan Opera House, respectively; and Whereas, According to a 2018 report commissioned by the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, 56 percent of local residents regularly attend live music and concerts, and more than 73 percent regularly engage in the broader city nightlife and entertainment scene; and Whereas, According to a study on Broadway's economic impact to New York City by Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business, in the 2018-2019 season, Broadway attendance reached 14.77 million people, with tourists making up 65 percent of that number, and Whereas, CBS New York reported on June 18, 2026, that local sports teams in the city pull in millions of fans annually, and Whereas, no aggregate total number exists for tourists attending New York sports events, major sports events like the US Open and the recent NBA Finals and World Cup games can draw hundreds of thousands of out-of-town visitors according to multiple news sources include City & State New York, the New York Times and NYC Tourism and Conventions; and Whereas, Tickets for live events initially are sold in the primary market, in which firms that provide ticketing services (i.e., ticketers) work directly with venues, promoters, producers, sports teams, and other entities to sell tickets to consumers; and Whereas, Tickets for some live events also are available in the secondary market, in which individuals who purchased tickets in the primary market can resell their tickets instead of using them. Individuals selling tickets in the secondary market can include consumers who cannot or no longer wish to attend the event, as well as ticket brokers who purchase tickets in the primary market with the intention of reselling them in the secondary market for a profit; and Whereas, Despite the plethora of world-class events in New York City, too many New Yorkers cannot attend or participate in these events due to high-demand ticket prices; and Whereas, Since 2000, the price of admission for sporting events has increased by 123.1 percent, and the price of admission to movies, theaters, and concerts have increased by 105 percent according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; and Whereas, The median household income in New York City is $81,228, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 survey; and Whereas, In the 2026 NBA Finals, the average ticket cost was $7,386 for the New York Knicks' home games at Madison Square Garden, according to a SeatGeek spokesperson; and Whereas, Millions of decades-long-suffering New York Knicks fans were priced out of seeing their favorite team in the NBA Finals, as the vast majority of the tickets sold were on the free market; and Whereas, During the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the average ticket price for the New York-New Jersey (NYNJ) games was $2,790, a 118 percent increase compared to the 16-city average, according to the Gothamist; and Whereas, For the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the City of New York, in partnership with the NYNJ Host Committee, secured 1,000 affordable tickets at $50 per seat for a World Cup ticket lottery, exclusively for New York City residents; and Whereas, Registration for the New York City Resident Ticket lottery closed within three minutes on the first day and 88 seconds on the second day, showing that New Yorkers have a fervent desire for an affordable ticketing program; and Whereas, A handful of professional sport teams and entertainment venues already offer ticket deals to make their events more affordable; and Whereas, For example, the New York Yankees offer ticket specials for college students, healthcare workers, seniors, military, and first responders, and the Metropolitan Opera House offers ticket specials for college students, military, veterans, and for visitors who are under the ages of 30 and 40; and Whereas, More professional organizations and entertainment venues should expand these initiatives by establishing their own versions of a fan access program, which would increase attendance at high-demand events amongst the average New Yorker; and Whereas, A fan access program would allot a limited percentage of tickets at a reduced price to allow more New York City residents, students, veterans, first responders, community organizations, and longtime supporters the ability to attend high-demand events, strengthening the cultural fabric of New York City; and Whereas, A fan access program would allow members of New York City to watch and enjoy the live entertainment events that they have built through their decades of support; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon professional sports franchises, major entertainment venues, and ticketing partners operating within New York City to voluntarily establish reduced-price ticket Fan Access Programs for high-demand events, which would give priority to local residents, veterans, students, first responders, and longtime fans. LSR #24670 7/14/2026 DF