Since 1960 the NFL constitution has banned community-owned franchises. The NBA, NHL and MLB have informally done the same thing. Franchise owners don’t want any more Green Bays out there proving that community ownership works. So, to empower the fans, we need federal legislation to overturn pro sports leagues’ ban on community ownership. The legislation would forbid any pro league from prohibiting the community ownership model. If a league did so, it would lose its antitrust privileges.
Fans and other taxpayers would be the winners, and communities would save millions that could be used for real public works projects. This type of legislation wouldn’t require every pro franchise to be community-owned; it would just allow for the option—an option that would protect a city’s citizens.