Wisconsin Senator Proposes Free Local Access to Pro Sports Games

Baldwin's 'For the Fans Act' would require major leagues to offer all games on free services in home states.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 3:39am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented, multi-angled view of a professional basketball game, with sharp planes of navy, green, and orange representing the dynamic action on the court.Senator Baldwin's bill seeks to make it easier and more affordable for local fans to access their favorite pro sports teams.Madison Today

Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin has introduced the 'For the Fans Act', a bill that would require major professional sports leagues to offer all of their games on free services, such as broadcast TV or streaming, within their home states. The goal is to make it more affordable for local fans to watch their favorite teams, as the cost of accessing all games has risen to around $1,500 per year on average.

Why it matters

With an increasing number of games being split across various paid streaming services, fans are becoming frustrated by the high costs and complexity of accessing all the games for their local teams. Baldwin's bill aims to address this issue and ensure that fans in each state have free access to watch their home teams play.

The details

Baldwin's 'For the Fans Act' would mandate that major professional sports leagues, such as the NFL, NBA, and MLB, offer all of their games on free services like broadcast TV or free streaming platforms within each league's home state. This would prevent leagues from restricting access to games solely through paid subscription services, which has become more common in recent years.

  • Senator Baldwin introduced the 'For the Fans Act' in April 2026.

The players

Tammy Baldwin

A Democratic senator from Wisconsin who introduced the 'For the Fans Act' to provide free local access to professional sports games.

National Football League (NFL)

A major professional sports league that would be required to offer all of its games on free services in each team's home state under Baldwin's proposed legislation.

National Basketball Association (NBA)

A major professional sports league that would be required to offer all of its games on free services in each team's home state under Baldwin's proposed legislation.

Major League Baseball (MLB)

A major professional sports league that would be required to offer all of its games on free services in each team's home state under Baldwin's proposed legislation.

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What they’re saying

“People are both confused and frustrated by the high costs. So I do think that there is going to be a bipartisan appetite for what this bill would do.”

— Tammy Baldwin, Senator

What’s next

The 'For the Fans Act' has been introduced in the U.S. Senate and will now go through the legislative process, including committee hearings and a potential vote.

The takeaway

Senator Baldwin's proposal aims to make it more affordable and accessible for local fans to watch their favorite professional sports teams by requiring leagues to offer games on free services within each team's home state. This could help address the growing frustration among fans over the rising costs and fragmentation of sports broadcasting rights.