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This bill — known as the FANS Act — would end TV blackouts of sporting events by requiring professional sports leagues to meet basic obligations to fans in order to continue receiving benefits like an exemption from antitrust laws. It would prohibit broadcasters from removing the live coverage of a league’s games and require that a live, sponsored broadcast be available to consumers and fans within the media market where a game is being played over the TV or internet.

An exception within professional sports leagues’ antitrust exemption that prohibits home games from being televised in a team’s media market would be repealed by this legislation.

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Do TV Blackouts of Pro Sports Games Need to be Stopped?