Hidden fees for Seattle Kraken playoff tickets have fan budgets on thin ice

As the Kraken swim deeper in the playoffs, fans will swallow nasty ticket fees to see the game.

Jesse Jones asked fans what they think about the fees they have to pay when purchasing their Kraken tickets.

“I don’t know what it is that they’re doing that they need to charge that much,” said one baffled fan.

At the time of our story, one ticket to Game 3 of the Playoffs was selling for $294. But a service fee of $61 raised the cost by more than 20%.

Kraken fans say all these hidden fees have their budgets on thin ice, “Like, if I just want to go, I’m saving up money this whole entire week, working hard and want to go to the game. Having those hidden fees at the very end of the transaction, my budget is going to go away.”

Luckily for eventgoers all over the US, Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas have come together to write the TICKET Act. It requires sellers to disclose the real price of tickets upfront.

“When we buy tickets, we want to know what the prices are. And we should be able to find out that information and understand what the hidden fees are all about,” said Washington Senator, Maria Cantwell.

On Capitol Hill, President Biden has been pushing the Junk Free Protection Act. An end to junk fees or hidden surcharges that you’d see at hotels, concerts and on your credit card bills. Charges that often you didn’t know about until right before you are ready to purchase.

Banks are another major culprit of hidden fees. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau banks took 15 billion in overdraft fees and another 14 billion more in credit card late fees.

Airline fees for many people are also out of control. According to the US Department of Transportation, airlines made 6.8 billion in baggage fees last year alone. And, another billion in reservation change fees. Then there are the seat fees, baggage fees, and fees to redeem your miles.

Resort fees at hotels also can drastically impact your travel budget. VRBO is no better, where for three nights you will pay a cleaning fee, a service fee, and/or a host fee - and those all can vary wildly.

Hopefully for sports fans, concert go-ers and travelers across America – soon junk fees will end up in the garbage, where they belong.

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