A Democratic bill with 7 Democratic cosponsors · See all 7 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Home Team Act of 2026" aims to prevent professional sports franchises from leaving their home communities. It prohibits leagues from banning ownership by government entities or the general public. If an owner wants to move a franchise across state lines or eliminate it, they must first offer a fair opportunity to purchase the team to specific local entities. These priority groups include local governments, community cooperatives, nonprofits, or local private companies. To determine a fair price, the Secretary of the Treasury will utilize a team of appraisers.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +5
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill allows local private companies to have priority in purchasing professional sports franchises.
- Scored +5
Federalism And Division Of Powers
The bill empowers local and state governments with the right to bring civil actions to protect their community franchises.
- Scored +4
Would people in cities be better off under this?
The bill provides mechanisms for local communities to retain and own their professional sports teams.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Community Ownership and Stability: Leagues are prohibited from preventing government entities or members of the general public from owning a franchise, which allows for more diverse ownership structures (Section 3(a)).
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Local Control Over Relocation: When an owner wants to move a team or shut it down, they are required to offer the franchise to local entities first, such as local governments, community cooperatives, or local private persons/companies (Section 3(b)(1-2)).
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Fair Pricing Protections: To ensure local groups aren't overcharged, the Secretary of the Treasury will provide a team of professional appraisers to evaluate a fair price (Section 3(c)(1)).
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Accountability for Public Subsidies: The fair price evaluation will deduct any government payments, credits, or subsidies previously given for stadium construction, which protects the value of the appraisal (Section 3(c)(2)).
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Legal Recourse for Local Governments: State or local governments have the right to bring civil actions in court for injunctive and monetary relief if a franchise owner violates these rules (Section 3(d)(2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Financial Penalties for Owners: Franchise owners who violate these provisions face a civil penalty of $30,000 for each day they are in violation (Section 3(d)(1)).
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Restrictions on Movement: Owners are restricted from moving a franchise across state lines or eliminating a franchise without first providing a fair opportunity for local purchase (Section 3(b)(1)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in cities be better off under this? — The bill provides mechanisms for local communities to retain and own their professional sports teams. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill enables community cooperatives and members of the general public to own sports franchises.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill allows local private companies to have priority in purchasing professional sports franchises.
- Governance And Ideology
- Federalism And Division Of Powers — The bill empowers local and state governments with the right to bring civil actions to protect their community franchises.
- 5/12/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/26/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 5 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Wesley BellDemocrat · Missouri
Christopher DeluzioDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Jesús GarcíaDemocrat · Illinois
Sylvia GarciaDemocrat · Texas
Lateefah SimonDemocrat · California
Rashida TlaibDemocrat · Michigan
Lauren UnderwoodDemocrat · Illinois