SAN FRANCISCO – As concert season kicks into high gear, the excitement of seeing a favorite artist live is being dampened for many by the sticker shock of skyrocketing ticket prices.

What they’re saying:

At the Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday night, fans gathered for a Demi Lovato concert. Many who spoke with KTVU said they were lucky enough to snag tickets early, but they worry that the era of affordable live music is quickly disappearing.

“It’s just fun. You forget about your daily life, and you laugh,” said concertgoer Barbara Gallardo. 

Fellow fan Heloisa Rodrigues agreed, noting that nothing beats “the feeling of hearing the artist so close to me… in real life.”

However, the reality for many other fans is a “sold out” screen followed by astronomical prices on secondary markets.

The “California Fans First Act”

What we know:

State Assembly Member Matt Haney (District 17) says the current system is broken. 

He has introduced AB 1720, also known as the California Fans First Act, to combat what he calls “speculators” who buy up inventory just to turn a massive profit.

“Everything from small shows to the biggest festivals are being taken advantage of by folks who want to profit and speculate,” said Haney,”All of that extra money is going into the pockets of scalpers and speculators—not to the artists, not to the venues.”

The bill proposes a strict cap: tickets for concerts and live events can not be resold for more than 10% above the original face value, including fees. Haney pointed to recent Sam Smith performances at the Castro Theater as a prime example of fans being priced out by bulk buyers looking for huge margins.

Mixed Reviews from Advocates

While fans like Mikey Mendrano—who says high prices are “stealing the opportunity” for thousands to see their favorite artists—support the bill, not everyone is on board.

The Consumer Federation of California has come out in strong opposition, calling the bill a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” The nonprofit advocacy group argues that by limiting the secondary market, the bill inadvertently hands more control to Live Nation—Ticketmaster.

In a statement, the group claimed: “This bill merely takes consumers for a ride and enhances the monopoly’s power over an industry it already dominates.”

Several hurdles

For their part, Ticketmaster has signaled support for Haney’s efforts, stating the legislation would protect both artists and fans.

KTVU reached out to secondary ticket platforms, including StubHub and Vivid Seats for comment but did not receive a response.

The “Fans First” bill still faces several hurdles. It must pass through both the State Assembly and the Senate. If successful, the legislation is expected to land on the Governor’s desk by early September.

For fans like Gallardo, the change can’t come soon enough.

 “I don’t want to spend $1,000 for a ticket that should have been… $200,” she said.

Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave a message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU,  Instagram @AmberKTVU  or Twitter @AmberKTVU

Craig Morton, who spent 18 years in the NFL and became the first quarterback to start the Super Bowl for two franchises — the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos — has died. He was 83.

Morton died Saturday in Mill Valley, California, the Broncos confirmed through his family.

Morton is one of only four QBs to start the NFL’s biggest game with two organizations. The other three — Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Kurt Warner — all ended up with at least one win. Morton’s only Super Bowl ring came as a backup.

His first Super Bowl start was in a turnover-plagued Super Bowl V to end the 1970 season — a 16-13 loss by the Cowboys to the Colts. Morton threw the Cowboys’ first touchdown pass in a title game.

Seven years later, and after an unsuccessful stint with the New York Giants, Morton led the Broncos to a matchup against his former team. He threw for 39 yards and four interceptions before getting pulled for Norris Weese in a 27-10 loss, which marked the first of four straight Super Bowl defeats for Denver.

Known for his strong arm, Morton turned in a college football Hall of Fame career at California, where he played for coach Marv Levy and assistant Bill Walsh. Morton went fifth in the 1965 NFL draft to the Cowboys. Oakland also took him in the 10th round of the AFL draft.

He joined a Cowboys team coached by Tom Landry that had veteran Don Meredith at QB. Morton played in four games that season. He then split time with up-and-coming Roger Staubach in 1970-71, the year the Cowboys went to their first Super Bowl.

The next season, Morton and Staubach also split time — at some points, even alternating every play. But ultimately, it was Staubach who took over the starting job, then led the Cowboys to the Super Bowl and a 24-3 win over Miami. Staubach was the MVP of that game and it wasn’t hard to imagine the end of Morton’s time in Dallas.

The Cowboys dealt their backup to the Giants in 1974 for a package that included a pick Dallas would use to take defensive lineman Randy White, who became a Super Bowl MVP and Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Morton struggled in New York, but enjoyed a renaissance after getting traded to Denver before the 1977 season — the season that put the Broncos on the map.

The veteran QB became the final piece for a Broncos team under a new coach, Red Miller, who inherited a strong defense that would become known as the Orange Crush.

Morton led the Broncos to a 12-2 record and playoff wins over the Steelers and Raiders. He famously spent the week in the hospital with a hip injury before spearheading the win over rival Oakland.

Four years later — and after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves. In 1981, Morton threw for 3,195 yards and 21 TDs, both career highs (he matched his best mark in TDs).

He retired after starting three games in the strike-shortened 1982 season. Denver would trade for John Elway, who supplanted Morton as the franchise’s most famous and revered No. 7.

Morton threw for 27,908 yards over his career with 183 touchdowns and 187 interceptions. Morton ranked in the top 20 all-time in yards passing and TD passes when he retired following the 1982 season.

He was voted into the Broncos’ Ring of Fame in 1988, along with two other standouts from that ’77 team — Haven Moses and Jim Turner.

SEATTLE – Offshore winds at the surface will warm us well into the 80s on Tuesday. This will mark the warmest day of the week with some spots warming to the upper 80s, especially in the Cascade foothills.

Offshore winds will warm many spots into the 80s on Tuesday.

What To Know:

The ridge will begin sliding to the east, opening the door for some high clouds to increase throughout the day. A disturbance will produce showers and even a few storms in Oregon. These will eventually move northward into western Washington, increasing showers and rumbles of thunder. There is also a chance for showers in Central and Eastern Washington as well.

A disturbance will push showers and even a few storms into the area beginning Tuesday night. 

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What’s next:

Tuesday will be the warmest day of the week. Days will quickly cool off beginning Wednesday with chances for showers through the weekend. Drier skies and mild weather will return by next Monday.

80s for Tuesday with a cooldown later in the week.

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