Revised ADA Requirements: Ticket Sales

Ticket Prices

Venues cannot charge higher prices for accessible seats than for non-accessible seats in the same seating section. This concept also applies to service charges added to the cost of a ticket, whether charged by the venue or a third-party seller. Venues must offer accessible seats in all price categories available to the public.

Many existing facilities may not have accessible seating in all price categories because of existing architectural barriers. Under the ADA, a venue must remove such architectural barriers where doing so is readily achievable. What is readily achievable ("easily accomplishable and able to be carried out without much difficulty or expense") depends on the venue's architectural structure and resources. In those situations where it is not readily achievable to remove the barriers in a part of an arena or auditorium, the venue must offer a proportional number of seats in an accessible location at the same price. The ratio of the total number of seats in the non-accessible price level to the total number of seats in the venue is used to determine the number of accessible seats that must be provided in an accessible location.

For example, Sections 221.1 and 221.2 of the 2010 Standards require a 1000-seat venue to have 10 wheelchair-accessible seats dispersed horizontally and vertically. The venue, built in 1980, has 200 seats in its inaccessible upper balcony where tickets are generally priced at $50. The total number of seats in the venue divided by the total number of seats in the upper balcony (1,000 divided by 200) is 20 percent. The venue must relocate 20 percent of its required accessible seating (in this instance, two seats) to an accessible location at the $50 price level (for individuals with disabilities and their companions). These seats must be in a comparably priced or better location. The venue cannot relocate the $50 accessible seats to a section where the tickets cost less than $50.