Findings

Congress finds the following: (1) Professional sports franchises have a significant economic and cultural impact on their local communities. (2) The relocation of a professional sports franchise abandons the home community and fan base of the franchise that is largely responsible for the growth and development of the franchise. (3) The use of public funds, through a negotiated relocation or threat to relocate of a professional sports franchise, to pay for new sports stadiums have a substantial and detrimental effect on State and local governments and their taxpayers. (4) The building of a stadium to secure a franchise in their new community may displace local residents with little consideration to their needs. (5) Article I, section 8, clause 3 of the Constitution of the United States grants Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce. (6) Professional sports franchises have a substantial and direct effect upon interstate commerce because— (A) professional sports games are broadcast on television and streamed around the country and across the world; (B) visiting teams and fan bases travel from State to State to compete in or watch games, purchasing tickets for travel, lodging, food, and other items; and (C) American professional sports leagues, recognizing the interstate nature of the revenues generated by the professional sports business, have agreed to revenue sharing models, whereby the revenue generated from a local game is shared amongst all the sports franchises in the league across States and for Canadian sports franchises as well.