With the NBA Finals underway between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks, Congressman Greg Casar (D-TX) is using the moment to bring back attention to legislation he says would protect fans from losing their teams forever.
Casar is pushing the Home Team Act alongside Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT). The bill would require professional sports franchise owners to give local communities the opportunity to purchase a team before relocating it across state lines or to a new metropolitan area.
"What if the NBA Finals meant that you're not just saying goodbye to your team for the offseason, but forever," Casar said, invoking his own childhood experience growing up in Houston, when the Oilers were moved to Tennessee by their owner.
"It happened to Bernie Sanders when the Brooklyn Dodgers got taken out to Los Angeles; that's why we're working together on the Home Team Act." he added.
Protecting the Teams
The legislation would require franchise owners to give at least one year's notice before any relocation. During that window, local governments, nonprofits, community cooperatives, and private buyers would each have the chance to purchase the team at a fair market value, determined by a team of independent appraisers.
Owners who fail to comply would face a $30,000 daily fine, and state and local governments would have the right to sue for injunctive and monetary relief.
Casar pointed to a string of relocations that have left fan bases behind, from the Brooklyn Dodgers' departure in 1958 to the Oakland Athletics' recent move to Las Vegas.
He also highlighted the ongoing situation with the Chicago Bears, who are threatening to leave Illinois after more than a century in the city, following an offer of a subsidy from Indiana.
"Sports in America should be about more than just making billionaire owners even richer," Casar said. "Our bill is about creating a level playing field so leagues work for fans and taxpayers, not just owners."
