AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7; Title 9; Title 16; Title 47 and Title 67, relative to personal seat licenses.
Summary
HB1151 requires certain professional sports franchises to include a price-protection provision in contracts for subsequent personal seat licenses (PSLs) purchased by long-term PSL holders. Specifically, if a person has held an existing PSL for at least 10 years and is buying a new PSL with an upgraded or improved seating classification, the contract must allow that holder to buy the new PSL for the same price as the prior one.
The bill applies only to PSL contracts in stadiums with at least 65,000 seats located in counties with a metropolitan form of government and a population over 500,000, based on the 2020 census or later. It also applies to all qualifying subsequent PSL purchases entered into on or after the act’s effective date. The measure is narrowly tailored to a specific type of sports-ticketing arrangement and would affect how franchises structure PSL sales and renewals in the covered venues.
Impact
HB1151 would amend Tennessee’s commercial and contract law provisions in Title 47 by creating a new statutory requirement for certain PSL contracts. It would limit the ability of covered professional sports franchises to charge higher prices for upgraded or improved PSLs when the buyer is a long-term existing PSL holder, effectively imposing a statutory price parity rule for qualifying renewals or upgrades. The practical impact would fall on sports franchises, stadium operators, and PSL holders in large metropolitan counties meeting the population and venue-size thresholds.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the available record. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears consumer-protective toward long-term PSL holders while imposing a targeted contractual restriction on franchises. The absence of voting history or discussion prevents a fuller assessment of legislative sentiment.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the bill’s interference with private contract terms and pricing discretion for professional sports franchises, especially because it mandates a fixed price for upgraded PSLs for a defined class of long-term holders. Supporters would likely frame the bill as protecting loyal fans from price increases, while opponents may argue it creates a special rule for a narrow market segment and could affect franchise revenue or seat-allocation strategies. The geographic and venue-size limitations also suggest the bill is tailored to a specific stadium market, which could raise questions about fairness and scope.