U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon, D-Oakland, is backing new federal legislation aimed at giving communities a better chance to keep professional sports teams from leaving town.
Simon is a co-sponsor of the Home Team Act, a bill that would require the owners of professional sports franchises to give at least one year’s notice before relocating a team to another city. During that year, local businesses, residents, nonprofit groups, or government agencies would have the opportunity to purchase the franchise at what the bill describes as a fair market price.
The proposal is designed to slow the familiar vanishing act that has haunted cities like Oakland, where beloved teams have packed their bags like carnival tents in the night.
Under the legislation, communities could also pursue a public ownership model similar to the one used by the Green Bay Packers, the NFL’s only community-owned team. Supporters of the bill say that approach could give fans and local leaders more control over the future of their teams.
To determine whether an offer is fair, the Home Team Act calls for a panel of appraisers to assess the franchise’s value. If no acceptable offer is made during the one-year notice period, team owners would still be allowed to relocate.
The legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont.
For Oakland, the bill arrives after years of painful departures. In the past seven years, the city has lost three major professional sports franchises. The Golden State Warriors moved to San Francisco in 2019. The Raiders relocated to Las Vegas in 2020. Most recently, the Athletics left for West Sacramento in 2025 while preparing for an eventual move to Las Vegas.
“For decades, Oakland residents lovingly and passionately cheered on the Athletics, Raiders, and Warriors, win or lose,” Simon said in a news release this week.
“Sports are in the blood of our city and are a key part of our cultural identity,” Simon said. “That is why I’m proud to support the Home Team Act to ensure that community-owned sports teams cannot be relocated without community input and the opportunity to keep their home team local.”
