PRIA Logo™
119-s-4301119th CongressWALLET

For the Fans Act

Sponsored By: Senator Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]

Introduced

Summary

Ends streaming blackouts and guarantees free local access to live professional sports. This bill would bar league streamers from blocking live games and require leagues to provide an ad-supported, no-cost single way for local fans to watch.

Show full summary
  • Local fans would get free, ad-supported access to every game of their local team through one method of viewing at a quality no worse than the best available. Exceptions apply to minor league teams and leagues with fewer than 8 teams.
  • League streamers would be banned from imposing any blackouts, including geographic blackouts. The bill defines who counts as a "league" and a "league streamer" to determine who must comply.
  • Enforcement is shared. The Federal Trade Commission could treat blackout bans as unfair or anticompetitive conduct and make rules and impose penalties. The Federal Communications Commission would handle local-access complaints and state attorneys general could sue to seek injunctions, damages, restitution, and attorney’s fees.

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

No streaming blackouts for fans

If enacted, the bill would stop league streaming services from blacking out any live game, including geographic blackouts. League streamers would have to give customers live access to every league game. The Federal Trade Commission would enforce the ban and could make rules and impose penalties. State attorneys general could sue to stop violations and seek damages, restitution, and attorney’s fees.

Who counts as fans and streamers

If enacted, the bill would define key terms used by the other rules. "League" would mean a U.S. professional sports organization for baseball, basketball, football, hockey, soccer, or any other sport the Federal Trade Commission names by rule. A "league streamer" would be a subscription service that streams league games and meets one or more listed criteria, such as using the league name, being promoted by the league, or having an agreement to receive part of proceeds. "Local fan" would mean someone in the same State as the team or another locality the Federal Communications Commission decides.

Free local live games for fans

If enacted, the bill would require each covered league to give every local fan free live access to their team’s games. Access must be no-cost, at a quality no less than the best available, and provided through one method for all games (either a local TV telecast or a single streaming service). The one method may show advertisements. This free-access rule would not apply to minor league teams or to leagues with fewer than eight teams. The Federal Communications Commission would handle complaints about violations.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]

WI • D

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
Back to Legislation