[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4301 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4301
To improve the access of consumers to professional sports broadcasts,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 15 (legislative day, April 14), 2026
Ms. Baldwin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve the access of consumers to professional sports broadcasts,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``For the Fans Act''.
SEC. 2. ACCESS TO STREAMING OF LIVE GAMES.
(a) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) League.--The term ``league'' means a professional
sports team organization in the United States for any of the
following sports:
(A) Baseball.
(B) Basketball.
(C) Football.
(D) Hockey.
(E) Soccer.
(F) Any other sport determined by the Federal Trade
Commission, pursuant to a rule promulgated in
accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States
Code.
(2) League streamer.--The term ``league streamer'' means a
streaming subscription service streaming the games of a league
that--
(A) has the name of the league in the title of the
streaming subscription service;
(B) is promoted by the league;
(C) has an agreement with the league to receive a
portion of proceeds from streaming the majority of the
games of the league; or
(D) meets any other requirement, as determined by
the Federal Trade Commission, pursuant to a rule
promulgated in accordance with section 553 of title 5,
United States Code.
(3) Local fan.--The term ``local fan'', with respect to a
league team, means an individual located in the same State as
the league team team, or in any other locality determined by
the Federal Communications Commission.
(b) No Blackouts.--
(1) In general.--A league streamer shall provide to
customers of the league streamer access to view live every game
of the league without implementing any kind of blackout for
consumers, including a geographic blackout.
(2) Enforcement by the federal trade commission.--
(A) Unfair or deceptive acts or practices.--A
violation of paragraph (1), or a regulation promulgated
thereunder, shall be treated as a violation of a rule
defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice under
section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act
(15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)) and as a violation of section
5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C.
45(a)) relating to unfair methods of competition.
(B) Powers of the commission.--
(i) In general.--The Federal Trade
Commission shall enforce paragraph (1), and any
regulation promulgated thereunder, in the same
manner, by the same means, and with the same
jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all
applicable terms and provisions of the Federal
Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.)
were incorporated into and made a part of this
Act.
(ii) Privileges and immunities.--Any person
who violates paragraph (1), or a regulation
promulgated thereunder, shall be subject to the
penalties and entitled to the privileges and
immunities provided in the Federal Trade
Commission Act.
(iii) Authority preserved.--Nothing in this
Act shall be construed to limit the authority
of the Commission under any other provision of
law.
(iv) Rulemaking.--The Commission may
promulgate in accordance with section 553 of
title 5, United States Code, such rules as may
be necessary to carry out this subsection,
including with respect to how to comply with
paragraph (1).
(c) Free Access for Local Fans.--
(1) In general.--A league shall provide to each local fan
access to view live all games of the league team at no cost to
the local fan and at a quality of service not less than that
which is the best available, through a singular method of
viewing for all games, which may be--
(A) by local telecast or by streaming on a single
streaming service; and
(B) supported by advertisements.
(2) Exception.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to--
(A) a minor league team; or
(B) a league with fewer than 8 teams.
(3) Enforcement.--
(A) Enforcement by the federal communications
commission.--The Federal Communications Commission
shall have jurisdiction over complaints alleging a
violation of paragraph (1).
(B) Enforcement by state attorneys general.--
(i) In general.--In any case in which an
attorney general of a State has reason to
believe that an interest of the residents of
that State has been or is threatened or
adversely affected by the engagement of any
person in an act or practice that violates this
Act or a regulation promulgated under this Act,
the attorney general of the State may, as
parens patriae, bring a civil action on behalf
of the residents of the State in an appropriate
district court of the United States to--
(I) enjoin that act or practice;
(II) enforce compliance with this
Act or the regulation;
(III) on behalf of residents of the
State, obtain damages, restitution, or
other compensation, each of which shall
be distributed in accordance with State
law; or
(IV) obtain such other relief as
the court may consider to be
appropriate.
(ii) Reasonable attorney's fees.--In a
civil action brought under clause (i) in which
the plaintiff prevails, the court may award
reasonable attorney's fees, including
litigation expenses, and costs reasonably
incurred.
<all>