Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-102

§3701 Definitions

Title 28 › PART VI — PARTICULAR PROCEEDINGS › CHAPTER 178 — PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR SPORTS PROTECTION › § 3701

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used in this chapter. "Amateur sports organization" means a person, a government body, or a league of them that runs competitive games for amateur athletes. "Professional sports organization" means the same kind of sponsor or league for professional athletes. "Governmental entity" means a State, a local part of a State, or an organization with government power inside U.S. territory, including the entities and lands named in sections 4(5) and 4(4) of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. "Person" has the meaning in section 1 of title 1. "State" includes the several States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, and any U.S. territory or possession.

Full Legal Text

Title 28, §3701

Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

For purposes of this chapter—
(1)the term “amateur sports organization” means—
(A)a person or governmental entity that sponsors, organizes, schedules, or conducts a competitive game in which one or more amateur athletes participate, or
(B)a league or association of persons or governmental entities described in subparagraph (A),
(2)the term “governmental entity” means a State, a political subdivision of a State, or an entity or organization, including an entity or organization described in section 4(5) of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2703(5)), that has governmental authority within the territorial boundaries of the United States, including on lands described in section 4(4) of such Act (25 U.S.C. 2703(4)),
(3)the term “professional sports organization” means—
(A)a person or governmental entity that sponsors, organizes, schedules, or conducts a competitive game in which one or more professional athletes participate, or
(B)a league or association of persons or governmental entities described in subparagraph (A),
(4)the term “person” has the meaning given such term in section 1 of title 1, and
(5)the term “State” means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, or any territory or possession of the United States.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

ConstitutionalityFor information regarding the constitutionality of certain provisions of this chapter, see the Table of Laws Held Unconstitutional in Whole or in Part by the Supreme Court on the Constitution Annotated website, constitution.congress.gov.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 102–559, § 3, Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 4229, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter and provisions set out as a note under section 1 of this title] shall take effect on January 1, 1993.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

28 U.S.C. § 3701

Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102