[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 111 (Thursday, July 31, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1570-E1571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           GIVE FANS A CHANCE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 31, 1997

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record a column by 
Michael J. Volpe. Some members may recall Mr. Volpe from his bid in 
late 1996 and early 1997 to be a Free Agent Fan of major league 
baseball. Volpe used the attention generated from this effort to make 
the point that baseball fans felt neglected by owners, players, and 
their agents who were too busy chasing multi-million-dollar deals and 
forgetting the sportsmanship and fun of baseball.
  Mr. Volpe now writes a nationally syndicated column for Universal 
Press Syndicate [UPS]. His column, entitled ``Fans May Get a Chance to 
Invest in Baseball Teams'' makes the connection between allowing public 
ownership of sports teams and improving the livability of our 
communities. Specifically, he points out that public ownership would 
help balance the private business interests of team owners with the 
public interests of communities who want to enjoy the direct and 
indirect benefits of having a professional sports team. Mr. Volpe notes 
that ``classic nine to five working stiffs [should] have the 
opportunity to own a piece of a major league baseball team''.
  Mr. Volpe and I see eye-to-eye on this issue. Earlier this year I 
introduced H.R. 590, the Give Fans a Chance Act, which Mr. Volpe 
describes as ``* * * the most promising opportunity for the average fan 
to become an owner of his or her favorite professional sports team.'' 
The bill is designed to give communities the tools to invest in their 
own livability by allowing them to purchase their home sports team. The 
bill eliminates league rules against public ownership, gives 
communities a voice in team relocation decisions, and ties the leagues' 
broadcast antitrust exemption to the requirements in this bill.
  Allowing communities to invest in their own livability makes sense 
for both the teams and the communities. The Green Bay Packers, founded 
in 1919, are a perfect example. In 1950, the fans saved the team from 
bankruptcy through a one and only public stock offering. Since then, 
this team from the NFL's smallest city has seen 175 consecutive 
sellouts, 11 championships, and three Superbowls, including the 
Superbowl they won this year. they have the best record in the NFL.
  The Packers aren't an ordinary football team. Their fans aren't 
ordinary fans. And their community isn't an ordinary community--because 
1,915 residents of Green Bay and other Packer Backers own their 
football team. The Packers help hold the Green Bay community together. 
More communities should have the opportunity Green Bay, WI, has to 
invest in their home sports team. More teams should have the 
opportunity to develop a loyal cadre of fans who will support the team 
through thick and thin.
  I urge my colleagues to review Mr. Volpe's column and cosponsor my 
legislation.

            Fans May Get Chance To Invest in Baseball Teams

                         (By Michael J. Volpe)

       The owners of major league baseball teams are all men and 
     women of great wealth. George Steinbrenner, owner of the New 
     York Yankees, made his millions through the shipping 
     industry. Marge Schott of the Cincinnati Reds and Bud Selig 
     of the Milwaukee Brewers are rich through auto dealerships. 
     Blockbuster Videos helped make Florida Marlins owner Wayne 
     Huizenga wealthy, while Peter Angelos of the Baltimore 
     Orioles is an affluent labor law attorney.
       However, unlike other sports teams, there are no classic 
     nine to five working stiffs who have the opportunity to own a 
     piece of a major league baseball team.
       The Green Bay Packers football team, for instance, which 
     won last year's Super Bowl, is owned by 1,915 individuals, 
     most of whom are residents of Wisconsin. Fifty-eight percent 
     of the Florida Panthers hockey team (ironically also owned by 
     Huizenga), was sold to the public in 1996 at $10 a share. The 
     Boston Celtics basketball team is also publicly traded on the 
     New York Stock Exchange.
       Major League baseball fans have been shut out on public 
     ownership of teams until now. But two elected officials, who 
     reside at opposite ends of the country, have quietly begun 
     working to change that.
       H.R. 590, the ``Give Fans A Chance Act'', is the most 
     promising opportunity for the average fan to become an owner 
     of his or her favorite professional sports team. The 
     legislation is authored by freshman Representative Earl 
     Blumenauer (D-Oregon), and is cosponsored by 15 other members 
     of the House. According to a summary of the bill, the Act is 
     designed ``to give communities the tools to invest in their 
     own livability of allowing them to purchase their home sports 
     team'' through public stock options and local community 
     ownership.
       Specifically, the bill prohibits any professional sports 
     league from denying public ownership of teams. It requires a 
     professional sports league, when considering approving the 
     relocation of a member team, to take into account strict 
     criteria. These includes fan loyalty; the extent to which the 
     team benefits from public financing; whether the community is 
     opposed to the relocation; and, whether there are bona fide 
     investors (including fans) offering fair market value to 
     purchase the team and keep it in the home community.
       If a league ignores the later provision, it will lose its 
     sports broadcast antitrust exemption, a congressionally 
     granted benefit which allows for sale to a single purchaser. 
     Sports broadcasting rights bring millions of dollars in 
     revenues to Major League Baseball teams each year.
       Blumenauer's bill, which awaits House action, is unique 
     because his state has no major league baseball team. ``I 
     don't have any particular bone to pick with the Leagues or 
     their member teams,'' he said in a statement, so ``I can 
     hopefully evaluate this issue from a public policy 
     perspective, as opposed to a more parochial'' one. He quite 
     simply wants to ensure ``that teams are playing it straight 
     with their communities'' and are fair to the fans.
       A measure similarly designed to aid fans was introduced in 
     the Virginia State House earlier this year by Delegate Robert 
     G. Marshall (R-Manassas). Marshall's bill would have 
     established the Virginia Baseball Authority as a non-profit 
     organization which would sell shares in a Major League 
     Baseball team in small denominations. ``You would be able to 
     own a little piece of baseball heaven for as little as $100 a 
     share,'' Marshall said. Although his bill was not acted upon 
     this year, Marshall said he plans to reintroduce the bill in 
     next year's legislative session. His bill is important 
     because Major League Baseball has indicated that Virginia may 
     be a leading candidate to get a major league franchise in the 
     next five years either through expansion or relocation of an 
     existing team.

[[Page E1571]]

       Although it is uncertain whether either piece of 
     legislation will eventually become law, it is a fact that 
     since 1950, there have been 68 franchise moves in baseball, 
     football, basketball and hockey, 37 of which have taken place 
     since 1970. Some existing baseball franchises are in 
     financial trouble, including the Marlins, whose owner Wayne 
     Huizenga now estimates his team will lose $30 million this 
     year, forcing him to reduce his payroll next season or sell 
     the franchise.
       Perhaps Huizenga could take a page from his hockey 
     franchise, and sell the Marlins back to the team's fans. This 
     would go a long way towards establishing a balance between 
     the private interests of team owners to maintain a profitable 
     business and the ability of the Florida community to enjoy 
     the direct and indirect benefits of having a professional 
     baseball team.

     

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