WISCONSIN – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement after the NFL announced that the Green Bay Packers would play the Los Angeles Rams exclusively on Netflix this Thanksgiving Eve, forcing millions of Wisconsinites to pay for a subscription just to watch their home team play. Last month, Senator Baldwin introduced her For the Fans Act which would ensure local fans always have a free, live option for watching their home state teams play.
“As the cost of just about everything continues to rise, the NFL is once again asking Wisconsinites to spend their hard-earned money on another streaming service,” said Senator Baldwin. “Enough is enough. My For the Fans Act would stop this exact scenario and prevent Wisconsin families from being forced to pay for Netflix just to watch the Packers play this Thanksgiving.”
Baldwin’s For the Fans Act would improve access for consumers of professional sports broadcasts by requiring free viewing access for local fans and ending blackouts on league-owned streaming services, like NBA League Pass or MLB.tv. The bill applies to professional baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer leagues. The bill makes an exception for minor league teams and leagues with fewer than eight teams.
Polling from Data for Progress shows that overwhelming majorities of Americans support Baldwin’s For the Fans Act to stop professional sports leagues from blacking out games for fans, end the complicated web of streaming services, and cut costs for viewers across the country.
An online version of this release is available here.
