A bill for an act relating to professional sporting league broadcasting blackouts.
Impact
The legislation mandates that a sports broadcasting entity cannot impose a blackout if the professional sports team involved in such a blackout plays at least one game in Iowa during that season. This provision is meant to encourage local viewership and ensure that fans in Iowa can access games played by teams relevant to their local market, thus enhancing sports culture within the state. The bill is expected to have implications for broadcasting practices and the relationships between local broadcasters and professional sports leagues.
Summary
House File 2656 seeks to address the issue of broadcasting blackouts for professional sports leagues in Iowa. The bill defines a blackout as the nonairing of a professional sporting league event on a local broadcast station. It additionally outlines what constitutes a sports broadcasting entity, highlighting cable, video service providers, and internet-based streaming platforms that offer live broadcasts of these sporting events. With the enactment of this bill, the intention is to create a more accessible viewing experience for consumers by limiting the circumstance under which these blackouts can occur.
Contention
While the bill may be beneficial for fans and local viewership, there are potential points of contention among stakeholders in the broadcasting industry. Some may argue that this legislation could infringe on the rights of sports leagues to manage their broadcasting rights and monetize their events, especially concerning national audiences. Moreover, entities that prefer the current blackout regulations due to contractual agreements with leagues might oppose this bill, highlighting conflicts between local access and broader commercial broadcasting interests.
A bill for an act relating to parental authorization for minors to create accounts on social media platforms, providing civil penalties, and including applicability provisions. (Formerly HF 2255.)
A bill for an act relating to parental authorization for minors to create accounts on social media platforms, providing civil penalties, and including applicability provisions.(See HF 2523.)
Stop Sports Blackouts ActThis bill requires cable and satellite broadcast providers to issue rebates to customers who are denied access to video programming included in their subscription because of programming negotiations. Specifically, where a provider’s negotiations related to the retransmission or carriage of video programming result in the provider failing to offer access to programming included in a customer’s subscription, the customer must be issued a rebate for the affected period. The Federal Communications Commission is directed to issue rules to this effect, including to establish the appropriate amount for such a rebate.
Stop Sports Blackouts Act of 2025This bill requires cable and satellite broadcast providers to issue rebates to customers who are denied access to video programming included in their subscription because of programming negotiations. Specifically, where a provider’s negotiations related to the retransmission or carriage of video programming result in the provider failing to offer access to programming included in a customer’s subscription, the customer must be issued a rebate for the affected period. The Federal Communications Commission is directed to issue rules to this effect, including to establish the appropriate amount for such a rebate.
Urging the Federal Communications Commission to collaborate with the National Football League and national broadcast partners to develop a system where fan input is considered when assigning secondary market broadcasts.
Relating to preparing for, preventing, and responding to weather emergencies and power outages; increasing the amount of administrative and civil penalties.