In response to Major League Baseball’s plan to eliminate the Minnesota Twins from the league, Senator Paul Wellstone introduced legislation in November 2001 to amend the Clayton Act to make the antitrust laws applicable to the elimination or relocation of major league baseball franchises. Current law provides baseball an exemption from antitrust rules and regulations.
The Fairness in Antitrust in National Sports (FANS) Act of 2001 – Amends the Clayton Act to provide that the conduct, acts, practices, or agreements(conduct) of persons in the business of organized professional major league baseball directly relating to or affecting the elimination or relocation of a major league baseball franchise are subject to the antitrust laws to the same extent that such conduct would be subject to such laws if engaged in by persons in any other professional sports business affecting interstate commerce.
More:
- Full Text of the Fairness in Antitrust in National Sports (FANS) Act of 2001 – introduced by Sen. Wellstone, November 14, 2001
- Labor Pains: A guide to Major League Baseball’s contraction issue – InfoPlease.co
- Elysian Fields Quarterly