Congress·In Committee·H.R. 8097
Home Team Act of 2026
Rep. Casar Introduces Home Team Act to Give Fans and Cities a Chance to Buy Sports Teams Before They Move
The Home Team Act of 2026 is currently in the early stages of the legislative process. It was recently sent to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for review. There are no upcoming votes scheduled at this time.
Part of: story →Legislative Progress
House
Key Points
- The bill would ban professional sports leagues from prohibiting community or government ownership of franchises. This opens the door for fan-owned cooperatives and city governments to own teams, similar to the Green Bay Packers model.
From policy text
“A league, operating in or affecting interstate commerce, may not, as part of league requirements or agreements-- (1) prohibit ownership of a franchise by a government entity or members of the general public; or (2) prohibit the transfer of a franchise to a government entity or members of the general public.”
View in full text - Before moving a team across state lines or shutting it down, the owner must give the local community a fair chance to buy the franchise. Priority goes first to local governments and fan cooperatives, then to nonprofits and public-private partnerships, and finally to local private buyers.
From policy text
“a franchise owner may not move the franchise from their home community, across State lines, or eliminate the franchise unless the franchise owner offers an entity specified in paragraph (2) a fair opportunity to purchase such franchise.”
View in full text - The sale price would be set by professional appraisers appointed by the Treasury Department, and any public money, tax credits, or subsidies used to build the team's stadium would be subtracted from the price.
From policy text
“The evaluation of a fair price undertaken pursuant to paragraph (1) shall deduct from the appraisal amount the total amount of any government payment, credit, or subsidy provided for the construction of any stadium where the franchise played the majority of their home games.”
View in full text - Owners must give at least one year of notice before relocating or eliminating a franchise, including public announcements on social media, to the news media, and to all interested parties.
From policy text
“notice that is provided not later than one year prior to the commencement of the season in which the franchise is to play home games in the proposed new location or the date of franchise elimination to all interested parties, the news media, and on all social media platforms of the franchise”
View in full text - The bill covers seven major leagues: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, WNBA, and NWSL. Owners who violate the law face fines of $30,000 per day, and state or local governments can sue for injunctive and monetary relief.
From policy text
“The Attorney General shall assess against a franchise owner in violation of this section a fine of $30,000 for each day the owner is in violation of this section.”
View in full text
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)
Milestones
2 milestones2 actions
Mar 26, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Mar 26, 2026
Introduced in House
News
USA TodayCenter Left
Proposed bill from Sen. Bernie Sanders targets pro sports team relocation. Here's how
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Home Team Act of 2026
Bill NumberHR 8097
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(5)D: 5
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.