Posted on 03/26/2026 8:45:56 PM PDT by TBP
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) introduced legislation on Thursday requiring professional sports team owners to give local governments and investors a chance to buy their teams before relocating.
Dubbed the Home Team Act, the bill would limit team owners from moving their franchise across state lines or into new metro areas without first giving local investors the opportunity to purchase the team. It would require owners to provide at least a year’s notice before relocating.
During the one-year notice period, local communities would have the opportunity to purchase the team at a fair market price. Sanders and Casar say the model for such purchases would be the Green Bay Packers, which operates under a community ownership structure.
The bill would also impose penalties on owners who fail to comply, and grant state and local governments the right to take legal action. It would not require a sale or block relocation if no local buyer is willing to pay a fair price, which would be determined by independent appraisers.
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I think it is too late for the A’s. The new stadium is being built and the approval to move was approved.
Probably a different time and circumstances but in late 1975 a Toronto ownership group bought in principle the San Francisco Giants and were expected to play the 1976 season in Toronto. A judge blocked the sale and a local buyer was found. The head of Levis IIRC. Obviously the Giants remained in SF.
It’s right in the sports franchise enumerated power of the US Constitution that gives the feral government domain over franchise ownership.
Any truth to the rumor that the Chicago Bears, in response to certain new taxes, are moving to Hammond, IN, where they will be called the Hammond Eggs?
Probably just result in there being fewer teams. Maybe they won’t move - they just won’t exist.
Uuummm How many Professional Sports teams are in Vermont?
Aren’t you suppose to represent your constituents?
How about working for the only home team you should be worried about and pass a budget.
The area will host crappy teams. The owner doesn’t want to spend money and the players don’t want to play there becuase of the location and low value.
If the government can tell you how much rent to charge and who you can sell your property to...
You live in a socialist state.
If they are willing to buy my home at market price if I want to move, they can and I will say my goodbyes just to get out of the state.
In 1996, Seahawks owner Ken Behring attempted to move the team to Anaheim, California, citing safety concerns regarding the Kingdome. Behring began moving equipment, but the move was halted by legal action from King County and massive threatened NFL fines of $500,000 to $900,000 daily.
The fiasco led to Paul Allen purchasing the team in 1997. But not before the state and Seattle tried to pass well over million of dollars in costs to the rest of the state in a deal they made with Paul Allen for the rebuilding of the old memorial stadium, a new massive scoreboard, parking lots, a retractable roof, and control of the cost income for the money for the team, all events in the facilities, and a percentage of the merchandise sales. The attempt at bonds for the state and locales didn’t get through and the deficit is still being made up in sales. I’m not sure if the sale in early 2025 from Allen’s estate is still using the same deal.
The funding source actually used was:
Public Funds ($110M+): Includes $66.5 million from the 2022 Seattle Public Schools (SPS) Buildings, Technology, and Academics/Athletics Capital Levy (BTA V), $40 million from the City of Seattle, and roughly $4 million from state funding.
Private Funding: $30 million is being raised through community support and philanthropy, led by the One Roof Partnership (Seattle Kraken, Climate Pledge Arena, etc.).
The rest is hidden.
They imploded the Kingdome and sent dust all over the city and never paid off the bill for it as they still owed when they blew it up. They haven’t said anything about that, either.
wy69
Simple. Sanders never misses an opportunity to espouse his communist values.
Pro sports teams get an anti trust exemption from the Feds that enable them to
negotiate broadcast rights collectively. They say its necessary to keep smaller
market teams competitive.
Also - many teams benefit from less than market rate financing for stadium
construction.
I don’t agree with any of it as it forces taxpayers to subsidize multi
billionaire franchise owners. (Packers excluded).
Government, gambling, and franchise owners - an unsavory trifecta for sure.
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