Home Team Act of 2026

This bill would bar major professional sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, WNBA and NWSL, from banning ownership of a team by a government or by members of the public. Before a team owner could move a team out of its home area, move it across state lines, or eliminate it, the owner would have to give at least one year of public notice and offer to sell the team at fair market value to local buyers. Local governments and community cooperatives would get first priority, followed by local nonprofits or public-private partnerships, and then local private buyers. A Treasury Department team of appraisers would set a fair price, subtracting any government money provided for the team's stadium. Owners who break these rules could face fines of $30,000 per day, and states or local governments could sue.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Bernard Sanders Independent sponsor
• 2 cosponsors