Senator Tammy Baldwin Introduces Bill to End Sports Blackouts and Reduce Streaming Costs for Fans
Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) introduced a bill in April aimed at addressing issues faced by sports fans regarding access to professional sports games. The proposed legislation seeks to eliminate blackouts of professional sports games, simplify the complex landscape of streaming services, and ultimately reduce costs for viewers across the United States. A core component of the bill mandates that sports leagues provide local fans with free access to all of their teams’ games in a single, consolidated location, whether through streaming platforms or traditional television networks. Senator Baldwin cited concerns from her Wisconsin constituents, who, according to her office, would need to spend over $1,500 annually across multiple channels and streaming services to watch all games involving the Packers, Brewers, and Bucks. This issue was highlighted by a January playoff game where the Packers' game against the Bears was exclusively available on Amazon Prime in five of Wisconsin's seven media markets. Additi...
