Bills › 90th General Assembly
Relating to professional sporting league broadcasting blackouts
Topics:Business & economy
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedMarch 7, 2024
- Stopped: SubcommitteeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: House committee
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: Senate committee
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2024 session adjourned on April 19, 2024, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Sports companies and streaming services in Iowa cannot block professional sports games from being shown to paying customers through a blackout. The only exception is if the team being blacked out plays at least one game in Iowa during that season. This rule aims to ensure fans can watch the games they pay for.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to professional sporting league broadcasting blackouts. The bill defines “blackout” to mean the nonairing of a cable, video, or satellite professional sporting league event that is broadcast on a local broadcast station. The bill defines “sports broadcasting entity” to mean and include specified internet-based streaming platforms and a person providing cable service or video service in Iowa. The bill prohibits a sports broadcasting entity from preventing professional sporting league event broadcasting through a blackout to paying customers, unless the professional sporting league team seeking the blackout plays at least one game in the state of Iowa during the season in which the professional sporting league team is seeking the blackout.