Attorney General's News Release

October 31, 2007

Nixon presents Hannah Montana tickets donated through agreements with brokers to charities that serve children

Kansas City, Mo. — Four organizations that provide services to children in the Kansas City-area today received more than 90 tickets to the Dec. 3 Hannah Montana concert as the result of agreements between Attorney General Jay Nixon and two ticket brokers. The 91 tickets for the sold-out show at the Sprint Center were split among Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Dream Factory of Greater Kansas City.

Nixon presented the tickets to the charities today at the Thornberry Unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, where he was joined by officials from the four organizations.

“These are charities that have a long track record of providing services to children in the Kansas City area,” Nixon said. “I am pleased that dozens more young Hannah Montana fans whom these organizations serve will have the chance to see this concert.”

The tickets were donated by Ticket Solutions Inc., of Overland Park, and RazorGator Inc., of Los Angeles, through separate agreements with the Attorney General’s Office. Ticket Solutions donated the 60 tickets it had to the concert to the charities, and RazorGator donated the 31 tickets it possessed.

Earlier this month, Nixon sued three ticket brokers, including Ticket Solutions but not RazorGator. The suits alleged the brokers violated Missouri consumer protection laws by offering to sell tickets to the concert above face value, a violation of a Kansas City ordinance; and by representing that they had tickets for specific seats when they did not. The Attorney General’s Office sent a civil investigative demand to RazorGator seeking more information about its ticket selling practices.

In addition to the donated tickets, the agreement with Ticket Solutions requires the business to make changes to language on its Web site regarding the availability of tickets it advertises for sale, and resolves the issues raised in the Attorney General’s lawsuit. Nixon said the agreement with RazorGator resolved any legal concerns his office had with that business about the concert, as well.

Both Ticket Solutions and RazorGator agreed to comply with local ticket scalping ordinances in Kansas City and St. Louis until those ordinances no longer are in effect on Nov. 28, 2007. When the bill removing the state law on ticket scalping was signed into law in September by Gov. Blunt, it also invalidated any local anti-scalping ordinances in Missouri.

The lawsuits are pending against the other two brokers Nixon sued, GoTickets Inc. and Tickets Now Entertainment Group Inc., both of Springfield, Illinois.

The Attorney General’s Office received approximately 40 complaints from consumers who had attempted to purchase tickets for the Hannah Montana concerts in St. Louis and Kansas City. Nixon began an immediate review of the complaints, issuing civil investigative demands and meeting with several parties involved in the ticket-selling process.

On Oct. 4, Nixon announced his office had reached an agreement with Ticketmaster that would ensure that a significant number of tickets would be available for purchase by fans and their parents at the prices set by the performer. The number and location of those tickets were determined by the final stage configuration for the concerts at the two venues. Conditions were placed on the sale of those tickets to help diminish the impact of brokers, including a limit of two tickets per buyer and a requirement that the purchasers show valid ID to pick up the tickets at the venue on the day of the show.

Thanks to the agreement obtained by Nixon, more than 1,900 tickets for the St. Louis show went on sale to the public for face value on Oct. 13, and more than 1,000 tickets for the Kansas City show went on sale for face value on Oct. 20. The newly released tickets for both shows quickly sold out.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to the Communications Office.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818