Oklahoma House Bill HB3080

Oklahoma 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/7/22
• Refer: 2/8/22
• Refer: 2/22/22

Caption

School athletics; providing a visiting team the same rights as a home team to transmit play-by-play accounts for postseason and playoff games; emergency.

Impact

This legislative change is expected to enhance fair competition and provide increased visibility for both teams during high school athletic events. By allowing visiting teams the right to broadcast their games, the bill seeks to promote a more inclusive atmosphere around high school sports, ensuring that supporters of both teams can access live coverage. Additionally, it aims to encourage partnerships between schools and media organizations that facilitate better promotional opportunities for student-athletes and educational institutions alike.

Summary

House Bill 3080 amends Section 27-105 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, establishing that, in all high school athletic competitions within the state, the visiting team is granted equal rights to transmit play-by-play accounts and broadcasts for regular season, postseason, and playoff games. Under this bill, both the visiting team and the home team will hold the same privileges regarding media broadcasting, enabling the visiting team to engage in live broadcasts and video streams provided certain conditions are met, such as having a valid agreement with a media organization or a curricular program for students that allows streaming for the team's home games.

Contention

While the bill primarily appears to be beneficial, debates surrounding its implementation have emerged. Concerns include the potential for disruptions in established broadcasting agreements and whether schools have the resources to support these additional streaming requirements. The bill does not specify the operational logistics, leading to unanswered questions about how competing broadcasts will be coordinated or the possible financial implications for schools that may need to invest in technology or media partnerships to comply with the new regulations.