Why Congress Is Out-of-Bounds If It Makes Rules for Football

Publication Date: July 1985

Publisher: Heritage Foundation (Washington, D.C.)

Author(s): James L. Gattuso

Research Area: Social conditions

Keywords: Government reform

Type: Report

Abstract:

Legislation regulating the mobility of professional sports teams would be unwise. The problem of franchise relocation has been greatly exaggerated. Relocation, in fact, can be very beneficial. Direct regulation, or even indirect regulation of the sort proposed by the Senate Commerce Committee, would turn each relocation of a team into a long process of public hearings and inevitable court challenges by the losing parties. This bureaucratic and litigious procedure would be of little benefit to sports fans, or taxpayers, even if it would be a
boon to lawyers.