Executive Director, @sportsfanorg | VP, @ISt_Advocates | Tweets are my own.
Washington, DC
Joined April 2009
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Brian Hess retweeted
Let’s honestly rename it: The Protect College Sports “Industry” Act is up for a vote.
The student athletes are secondary in this situation.
Brian Hess retweeted
American Future is one part of a $41 million national effort by the sports-betting operators to sway state and local legislative races. notus.org/metro/igaming-dc-e…
Brian Hess retweeted
I think college sports needs reform. But the new Senate college sports bill is not the way to fix it. It creates two different systems - one for athletes that limits and micromanages their compensation; and another with no limits for coaches, ADS and sports industry execs.
Brian Hess retweeted
Nearly 15 months ago I began speaking with Senator Cantwell's staffers regarding their idea to amend the Sports Broadcasting Act to "save college sports."
The bill proposed by Senators Cantwell and Cruz allows NCAA schools to voluntarily pool and negotiate their media rights. 1/
Brian Hess retweeted
America needs bipartisan leadership. But the bipartisan leadership we need is absolutely not that which strips away rights and limits income earning potential of a class of Americans to protect untaxed entities possessing billion dollar endowments and massive real estate assets.
🚨 NEW: Chairman @SenTedCruz and Ranking Member @SenatorCantwell have struck an agreement to #savecollegesports.
More info on the Protect College Sports Act:
commerce.senate.gov/press/re…
Brian Hess retweeted
Here’s what the poll actually found:
1. Fans value a functioning resale market.
2. Voters want better regulation, not the elimination of resale.
3. The fraud questions make the case for regulated resale.
4. Price caps are not a legislative priority.
Basically... Pass the TICKET Act, and we can solve what the voters want!
sportsfans.org/latest-news/m…
Brian Hess retweeted
DOJ cut a deal with Live Nation settling the case. Then a federal jury found Live Nation and its subsidiary, Ticketmaster, guilty of operating an illegal monopoly over live entertainment ticketing and promotion.📄
Now, eight public interest groups are calling on Congress to investigate what suggests a pattern of corrupt interference—from the White House, senior DOJ officials, and Live Nation’s lobbyists.
The National Consumers League’s John Breyault warns: “Political interference in enforcement erodes trust and harms consumers.”
This isn’t just a raw deal for consumers—it’s an abuse of power. Congress has a duty to get to the bottom of it. ow.ly/ICqT50YP5JO
Brian Hess retweeted
"The anti-competitive corporate takeover of youth sports is hurting our kids and Congress needs to take decisive steps to stop it."
WATCH: @CapitolKVD testifies on how private equity is capturing the youth sports industry, at a hearing hosted by @RepDeluzio.
Brian Hess retweeted
Monopoly Busters Caucus Chairs @RepJayapal @RepDeluzio @RepPatRyanNY @RepAngieCraig on Live Nation case:
“DOJ's surrender to @LiveNation is a slap in the face to every fan who's been ripped off, every artist who's been strong-armed, and every venue owner who's been crushed.” /1
Brian Hess retweeted
American sports fans’ worst-case scenario came true: the DOJ caved to political pressure and settled the Live Nation/Ticketmaster lawsuit. Anything less than a structural breakup of the two companies would have been a loss, but this settlement is especially weak. The DOJ had an opportunity to inject much-needed competition into the space, but they let the pitch go by. We hope that the bipartisan group of state AGs will step up to the plate and pick up where the DOJ left off.
sportsfans.org/latest-news/s…
Brian Hess retweeted
Sens. Booker (Dem lead on House Antitrust Subcmte) and Durbin (Dem lead on House Judiciary) send letters to Trump and Bondi asking for documents in the removal of Gail Slater and lobbyist communications on the imminent Live Nation settlement.
Brian Hess retweeted
"Next month, the Live Nation-Ticketmaster antitrust trial is scheduled to begin, and Wall Street expects there will be a settlement to block this trial at the behest of the lobbyists who engineered this ouster. Live Nation’s stock has surged in the minutes following today’s news."
"The Trump administration’s antitrust ‘policy’ is a pay-to-play scheme orchestrated by lobbyists for would-be and existing monopolists. Slater has a choice between going quietly into the night or revealing everything she knows about efforts to meddle in HPE-Juniper, Compass-Anywhere and more."
Our statement from @matthewstoller in response to news that AAG for Antitrust Gail Slater has been pushed out of her role at the DOJ.
Brian Hess retweeted
No it has not! Consumers really don’t care about amateurism, and all the whining to Congress about the Wild West is just a power grab.
One thing is for sure-all the offseason madness and chaos CFB has been undertaking the last 5-7 years clearly isn’t hurting interest in the sport!
Again we thank you for your passion (that we share with you) for CFB and do our best weekly to get ya ready every Saturday and have a little fun at the same time. We are off to Eugene Saturday for an always AWESOME scene in the Pacific Northwest!!
Brian Hess retweeted
But that's not all. @MarshaBlackburn's & @SenatorLujan MAIN Event Act would have brought @LiveNation's years of anti-consumer collusion with ticket scalpers to light much sooner. It's passed out of @SenateCommerce but is languishing in the House. @HouseCommerce should act now.
Brian Hess retweeted
It's time for Congress to finally step in & legislate. Passing the #TICKET Act (already passed by the House 409-15 and @SenateCommerce) should be a no-brainer. Practically every stakeholder in the live event ecosystem has signalled support already. schakowsky.house.gov/media/p…
Brian Hess retweeted
Ever wonder why @LiveNation-@Ticketmaster never cracked down on #ticketbots despite (literally) years of their lobbyists railing against "predatory resale" in Congress and statehouses around the country? The answer @FTC found should surprise exactly no one.
Brian Hess retweeted
.@LiveNation-@Ticketmaster spent years complaining about "predatory scalpers" harming fans, artists, and venues to distract Congress and the public from the need for real reforms that would rein in their monopoly.
The truth is that they were in bed with the scalpers all along.
The FTC is suing Live Nation and Ticketmaster for deceptive pricing and shady resale deals.
“For years, consumers and artists alike have paid the price for this anticompetitive and deceptive conduct. Today’s action is a vital step toward holding Live Nation accountable, restoring fairness, and ensuring that fans, not monopolists, are the ones who come first in live entertainment.” - John Breyault, NCL VP
Read more: ow.ly/nLml50WYZoO
Brian Hess retweeted
If I were trying to address violent crime in DC, I’d start with asking how there’s money for two stadiums but not more cops.
Brian Hess retweeted
Quote: "There’s collateral damage, too. The more fans pay per ticket, the fewer shows they’ll attend."
Except that’s not what’s actually happening according to, you know, actual data.
hollywoodreporter.com/busine…
Brian Hess retweeted
4th generation Arlingtonian here—we’re willing to consider it
But only if y’all stop trying to use taxpayer money to pay for sports arenas. Arlingxandrians don’t seem to like that kind of thing very much 😌
