The battle against ticket scalping just got a major celebrity champion. Noah Kahan, whose 2026 album The Great Divide topped the charts, threw his weight behind Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey’s new ticketing reform legislation this week, announced on July 16. The bill, aptly named The Great Divide Act, proposes capping concert and sports ticket resales at 110% of the original face value while limiting secondary platform fees to 10%. Kahan virtually appeared at the press conference to express his enthusiasm, emphasizing that protecting fans from market manipulation was the driving force behind his support.
What makes this moment significant is that Kahan isn’t trying to profit from the broken ticket system, he’s actively fighting against it. He acknowledged that artists and fans have struggled under the weight of secondary market exploitation and that artists alone couldn’t solve the problem. The bill also targets deceptive resale websites that falsely claim affiliation with artists or venues, a common tactic that preys on fans searching for legitimate options. This legislative push isn’t happening in a vacuum, either. Vermont and Maine have already enacted similar resale cap laws, and more than 20 states are currently exploring comparable consumer protections in 2026.
The timing is particularly resonant given that Kahan just made history as the first artist to headline four consecutive sold-out shows at Boston’s Fenway Park. His advocacy extends beyond Massachusetts, as he’s also supported Vermont’s similar legislation, proving his commitment to ticketing reform is genuine. For young concert-goers who’ve experienced sticker shock from inflated resale prices, this movement signals that change might finally be within reach. What concert ticket prices have made you miss out on seeing your favorite artist live?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.