[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 17 (Wednesday, February 7, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1152-S1153]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               PROFESSIONAL SPORTS FRANCHISES IN SEATTLE

 Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, on February 2, the citizens of 
Seattle and of Washington State were dealt yet another low blow in 
their continuing struggle to maintain three professional sports 
franchises in Seattle. Unfortunately, it now seems that just as one 
team reaches the pinnacle of success in Seattle, another outsider owner 
of a local team decides that he no longer wishes to call Seattle its 
home. Last Friday, the owners of the Seattle Seahawks announced their 
intention to move the team from Seattle even though they have 10 years 
remaining on their contract with King County.
  Why are they leaving? The Seahawk owners cite inadequate playing 
facilities and a lack of local government and community support. Lack 
of support? Consider the numerous years of sell-out crowds in the 
Kingdome. Consider the local and State subsidies that have supported 
this organization. If there is no community support, why did the 
Seahawk organization retire the No. 12 jersey? The number was retired 
in honor of all the Seahwawak fans who have long served as the 
``twelfth man'' on the Seahawks playing field. Lack of support?
  As many of my colleagues may know, a great deal of my political 
career has been focused on maintaining a presence of professional 
sports franchises in Seattle. My involvement started late one evening 
in 1970, when the owners of the Seattle Pilots baseball team loaded 
their moving vans and headed east to Milwaukee, WI, after only 1 year 
in Seattle. As Washington State attorney, general, I successfully sued 
the American League to bring a new baseball club to Seattle in 1977--
the Seattle Mariners--a suit that also resulted in the creation of the 
Toronto Blue Jays.
  During its first 17 years of existence, the Mariner organization 
faced many of the expected challenges that confront any new sports 
franchise. This young baseball team was only able to produce two 
winning seasons in its first 17 years. While the adversity continued on 
the field, the difficulties facing the franchise off the field quickly 
became even more owerwhelming. The Mariners organization suffered 
increasing financial losses, fueling speculation that the team would 
leave Sattle. All of the succession of Mariner owerns were underfunded 
outsiders unable to take the risks necessary for success. Finally in 
1992, the threat became a reality, and the owners of the Mariners 
announced their intentions to move the baseball team to Florida. The 
fans, myself included reacted. A provision in the Mariners' contract 
with King County prohibited the midnight-loading of the moving vans. 
This local-option provision required that prior to any relocation to 
another city, the team first be put up for sale for 120 days and sold 
to any local buyers with a reasonable offer. With on 2 weeks left 
before the 120-day period expired, local business and community 
leaders, myself included, were able to secure the local resources to 
purchase the Mariners and keep the Mariners safe at home.
  Last fall, after 18 long years, the fans of Washington State, and the 
team they fought so hard to keep, were finally rewarded when the 
Seattle Mariners won the American League Western Division Title. This 
championship fever should be the reward for fans when they dedicate 
themselves to supporting a professional sports team, not what is 
currently happening in Seattle and Cleveland.
  Unfortunately for the fans of professional sports team, today's 
loyalty and gratitude given to professional teams is being returned 
with seriously harsh slaps in the face. Looking for news of a sports 
franchise relocation? Just open a newspaper. Within the last 18 months, 
two professional football organizations have moved cities and three 
more have announced their intentions to move prior to the 1996 season.
  Mr. President, something has got to be done to bring some stability 
back to professional sports. Some question the role of the Government 
in professional sports leagues. I do not. Professional sports 
franchises rely on Federal tax dollars, participate in interstate 
commerce, and affect millions of people across the country. I have no 
doubt that there is a role for the Federal Government in creating 
standards and expectations of behavior. That is why I have cosponsored 
the Fans' Rights Act with my colleagues from Ohio, Senator Glenn and 
Senator DeWine.
  The Fans' Rights Act, S. 1439, seeks to restore stability and 
integrity to the current chaos that marks franchise relocations. It 
does this by giving professional sports league officials the ability to 
enforce their own rules through a limited antitrust exemption. This 

[[Page S1153]]
limited exemption will ensure that league officials can block franchise 
relocations they believe not to be in the best interests of their 
sport. The bill also provides for a 180-day notice period before any 
team can move. During that time, public hearings must be held, at which 
time a home community would have the opportunity to induce the team to 
stay. Finally, the Fans' Rights Act would prohibit the outrageous 
practice of teams buying the league's approval of a proposed 
relocation. Current practices allow the paying of relocation fees to 
the leagues and individual teams prior to the vote by the individual 
team owners to approve the move. The bill would require that the 
relocation fee be paid only after the vote of approval has taken place. 
The era of professional sports teams moving, only to leave behind fans, 
businesses, and communities who have invested emotional and financial 
support must come to an end, and this legislation attempts to do just 
that.
  As chairman of the Consumer Subcommittee within the Commerce 
Committee, I intend to hold hearings on Fans' Rights Act sometime in 
early March. I will seek testimony from commissioners of all four 
professional leagues, player representatives, team owners, and elected 
officials from cities impacted by franchise relocation.
  When this bill comes to the floor, it is also my intention to offer 
an amendment to include a provision similar to that that kept the 
Mariners in Seattle in 1992. Essentially, this provision would require 
a team to be put up for sale to local owners for 120 days prior to any 
relocation at a price to be set by arbitration. Fan loyalty and local 
support must be rewarded with local ownership, not the removal of the 
team.
  Unfortunately for the Seahawk fans, even if we could enact the Fans' 
Rights Act into law tomorrow, this legislation will not reverse the 
clock in Seattle. The decision to relocate the team has been made, 
although a lawsuit is pending against the organization is a King County 
Superior Court, an action I believe likely to succeed. I have been 
invited by King County Executive Gary Locke to serve on a small task 
force of business and community leaders who will work together to 
ensure that professional football in Seattle does not become part of 
Seattle's fading history.
  I would also like to take this opportunity to commend King County 
Executive Gary Locke, King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng, and members 
of the King County Council for all of their efforts thus far to save 
the Seahawks.
  In closing Mr. President, I would like to send a message to sports 
fans in Washington State and around the country. While we are in the 
midst of troubling times with sports teams coming and sports teams 
leaving, I would like to assure each of you that your loyalty to 
professional sports franchises will not go unrewarded. Throughout the 8 
weeks of the Mariners playoff excitement this fall, the residents of 
Seattle and the citizens of Washington State were part of an amazing 
roller-coaster ride that reached beyond anything that could ever be 
expected from professional sports. The great sense of community pride 
and support toward a single team, however, must be rewarded with 
loyalty from the team back to the community. The Seattle Mariners 
displayed this loyalty in their final game of the season, when all of 
the Mariner players came out of the clubhouse 20 minutes after game's 
end, to applaud the 58,000-plus fans who had encouraged the team during 
the championship run.
  Mr. President, the Seahawks will not move and, I believe, Cleveland 
will not be deserted by the NFL either.
  Mr. President, every fan deserves the opportunity to applaud his or 
her local sports team, and for loyalty from the owners in return. I 
hope that passing the Fans' Rights Act can begin to recognize that fans 
are equal players in the world of sports.

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