WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and U.S. Representative Greg Casar (D-Texas) in introducing the Home Team Act, bicameral legislation to require owners of professional sports teams to give local communities the chance to buy teams before relocating them. The bill would not require anyone to purchase a team and it would not prevent teams from moving if there is not a buyer able to meet a fair and reasonable price, as assessed by a team of appraisers.

"In Connecticut, corporate greed killed a deal to keep our only major professional sports team, the Connecticut Sun, in the state," said Murphy. "This bill would make sure communities have the power to fight back against a billionaire owner class that only cares about money and keep sports teams where they belong, in the communities that value them most."

The bill would protect fans from losing teams and protect taxpayers from being extorted for huge subsidies by the threat of relocation. It:

1. Requires sports franchise owners to provide notice a year before moving the team to a new community, defined by crossing state lines or moving to a new Metropolitan Statistical Area;
2. During that year, it gives communities the chance to purchase the team at a fair price, including through the sort of successful community ownership model used by the Green Bay Packers. Teams could also be purchased by a government entity, a nonprofit or public partnership, or a private person, group, or company;
3. Enforces a penalty for franchise owners who do not comply and provides a right of action for state and local governments.

For full text of the bill click here. For a one-pager of the bill click here.