Fans question Stevie Wonder Detroit tickets reselling for thousands of dollars

Stevie Wonder's two December shows at Detroit's Fox Theatre are sold out and on the resale market, with some tickets now being listed for thousands of dollars.

That's raising questions about what Michigan's new "Taylor Swift" ticket law actually protects fans from.

"Anytime you see tickets that immediately move from that primary market into the secondary market at multiple times their original price, I think it's reasonable to ask how those tickets were acquired initially," said state Rep. Mike Harris, R-Waterford Township.

The law targets automated bots used to get around online security features and ticket limits. It gives Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel authority to take civil action against violations. But it does not cap what someone can charge to resell a ticket that was legally purchased.

"The market drives that. If the market stops being open to paying $10,000 for a ticket, I think you'll see a change," said Harris.

Harris says the law targets mass purchases made using bots, not the resale market itself, and that enforcement can be expensive for violators.

"Well, it's $5,000 per ticket, so it's substantial. It's not just $5,000 per incident; it's $5,000 per ticket that they do, so it is a pretty big hit," said Harris.

Right now, there is no public evidence showing bots were used to purchase the Stevie Wonder tickets now being resold.

CBS News Detroit reached out to Ticketmaster, 313 Presents, Nessel's office and state Sen. Mary Cavanagh for comment, but did not hear back by the time this story was published.