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119-s-4522119th CongressWALLET

Let Kids Play Act

Sponsored By: Senator Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]

Introduced

Summary

Prevents predatory private equity "vulture" investors from exploiting youth sports. The bill bans certain private equity control and a list of specific harmful practices in youth leagues, facilities, events, technology platforms, and related services while creating certification, divestiture, and enforcement rules to protect programs and participants.

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  • Families and players: Directs disgorged funds and civil penalties into a Youth Sports Fund to lower participation costs, expand scholarships, provide restitution, and support free community access to facilities.
  • Covered firms and investors: Creates a presumptive designation for covered firms as "vulture investors" unless they submit sworn certifications. Firms face automatic designation 91 days after enactment if uncertified and must cure violations by divesting within two years.
  • Enforcement and penalties: The Federal Trade Commission and the Assistant Attorney General may bring civil or administrative actions and harmed individuals may sue with a jury trial. False certifications carry civil penalties of not less than $1,000,000 per certification, criminal fines or up to one year imprisonment, joint and several liability for control‑period liabilities, and possible monthly escrow of 10 percent of entity revenue for missed divestiture milestones.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Ban predatory investor practices in youth sports

If enacted, the bill would ban many investor “vulture practices” in youth sports. It would bar forced bundled services, required travel or lodging providers, hidden mandatory fees, long noncancelable multi‑season commitments, bans on nearby competing events within 150 miles, and broad claims over kids’ biometric, performance, or family financial data. The FTC or the Assistant Attorney General would enforce the rules and individuals or classes harmed could sue in court. Courts could award treble damages (three times actual monetary loss), restitution, and attorneys' fees. The bill would also create a Youth Sports Fund to get disgorged money and civil penalty deposits when no other recipient is named, and the Commission would use that money to lower participation costs, fund scholarships, or support free community access to facilities.

New investment rules for youth sports

If enacted, the bill would treat many private equity firms with youth sports holdings as presumptive "vulture investors" unless they get a certification. Firms owned or invested in at enactment would be designated 91 days after enactment unless certified. Existing investors would need to file certifications within 60 days after enactment; new investors would file at least 60 days before an investment. Certifications must be sworn by each general partner and approved by the Commission within 31 days or they are deemed denied. False certifications would trigger civil penalties of not less than $1,000,000 per materially false filing and possible criminal penalties for knowing false statements. Designated vulture investors would generally have to divest within 2 years, follow published divestment milestones, and missing milestones can trigger monthly escrow transfers equal to 10% of revenue attributable to the youth sports entity. The bill would also ban deals structured to evade these rules and would define who counts as a covered firm, a vulture investor, and what counts as youth sports.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]

CT • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2026

  • Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 5/13/2026

  • Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]

    VT • I

    Sponsored 5/21/2026

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 6/15/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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