A bill to make the antitrust laws applicable for a 2-year period to any professional baseball team that unfairly deprives its supporters of the opportunity to receive regular over-the-air television broadcasts of games in a season.
Makes it unlawful for a major league professional baseball team to enter into or perform any contract that provides exclusive carriage for a one-year period of more than 50 percent of its televised games by any cable television system. Sets forth an exception to such prohibition if: (1) more than 75 percent of the residences in the home city of that team are located within an area served by a cable television system that carries more than 50 percent of the televised games of such team; or (2) such team has not had more than 65 percent of its televised games carried by an over-the-air broadcasting station during the preceding two-year period. Subjects a professional baseball team to the antitrust laws for a two-year period for violations of this Act.
Referred to Subcommittee on Monopolies and Commercial Law.