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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 18: A general view prior to the NFC Divisional Playoffs game between the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field on January 18, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears’ long-developing stadium situation may have just gained an unexpected national wrinkle.
Senator Bernie Sanders and Congressman Greg Casar introduced the ‘Home Team Act’ on Thursday, March 26th, a proposed federal bill aimed at reshaping how professional sports franchises handle relocation, per source.
The legislation would require owners of professional sports teams to give local communities the chance to buy teams before relocating them. That purchase could come from a traditional private ownership group or through a community ownership model similar to the Green Bay Packers.
The bill would also require franchise owners to provide at least one year’s notice before relocating a team, giving local communities a defined window to organize potential ownership groups and submit offers.
Proposed Bill Adds A Massive Wrinkle in Bears’ Stadium Plans
While the bill is not expected to pass in the immediate future, its introduction is designed to spark a broader national conversation about the balance of power between team owners, taxpayers, and fan bases.
For the Bears, the implications are clear. Any potential move outside of Illinois, which includes reported exploratory interest in Indiana, could fall under the scope of this bill if it were to pass. Even if the bill remains symbolic in the short term, it adds another layer of political and public scrutiny to an already complex stadium process.
According to details released Thursday, the Home Team Act is specifically designed to protect fans from losing their teams while also limiting the leverage owners have used to secure public funding. The bill would also enforce penalties for franchise owners who fail to comply and provides a right of action for state and local governments.
Teams could also be purchased by a government entity, a nonprofit or public partnership, or a private person, group, or company.
However, the legislation would not force a sale or block relocation entirely. If no buyer is able to meet a fair market price, which is assessed by a team of appraisers, the team would still be permitted to move.
Bernie Sanders, Greg Casar Comment on the Proposed Bill
For folks who want the Bears to build the new stadium in Illinois, this bill would mean great news and would make sports teams think twice about moving across state lines.
“Sports in America should be more than just making billionaire owners even richer,” Casar said. “Far too many Americans know the pain of losing a team, and far too many communities have had to fork over billions in subsidies just to keep an already profitable team home. Our bill is about creating a level playing field so leagues work for fans and taxpayers, not just owners.”
Sanders echoed that sentiment, criticizing the current system that allows owners to leverage relocation threats for public funding. “The American people are sick and tired of billionaires threatening to move the sports teams they own to different states unless they get hundreds of millions in corporate welfare to build new stadiums,” Sanders said.
“In my view, professional sports teams should be owned and controlled by the fans who love them, not by the multibillionaire oligarchs who are getting even richer by charging outrageous prices and getting taxpayers to pick up their extravagant costs. You shouldn’t have to be wealthy to take your family to a football game. You shouldn’t have to fear that a multibillionaire will move your favorite team to a different city if taxpayers refuse to subsidize it. The Home Team Act is a very modest piece of legislation that begins to address this problem. I am proud to support it.”
The mere existence of this legislation underscores the growing political involvement in stadium negotiations, turning what was once a regional business decision into a potential national debate over ownership, relocation rights, and fan loyalty.