text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Stadium Financing and Franchise 
  Relocation Act of 1999''.
  
  SEC. 2. EXPANSION, MODIFICATION, AND CLARIFICATION OF ANTITRUST 
                EXEMPTIONS.
  
      (a) Definitions.--Section 5 of Public Law 87-331, commonly known as 
  the ``Sports Broadcasting Act'' (15 U.S.C. 1295) is amended to read as 
  follows:
  
  ``SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
  
      ``In this Act:
              ``(1) Antitrust laws.--The term `antitrust laws'--
                      ``(A) means antitrust laws, as that term is defined 
                  in section 1 of the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. 12); and
                      ``(B) includes antitrust Acts, as that term is 
                  defined in section 4 of the Federal Trade Commission 
                  Act (15 U.S.C. 44).
              ``(2) Construction.--With respect to a playing facility, 
          the term `construction' means the construction of a playing 
          facility that is not in existence at the commencement of the 
          construction.
              ``(3) Local governmental entity.--The term `local 
          governmental entity' means--
                      ``(A) a State; or
                      ``(B) a county, city or other unit of local 
                  government.
              ``(4) Person.--The term `person' means any individual, 
          partnership, corporation, or unincorporated association, or any 
          combination or association thereof.
              ``(5) Playing facility.--The term `playing facility' means 
          a stadium or ballpark designed to seat a minimum of 35,000 
          spectators.
              ``(6) Renovation.--With respect to a playing facility, the 
          term `renovation' means the renovation of an existing playing 
          facility.
              ``(7) Sponsored telecasting.--The term `sponsored 
          telecasting'--
                      ``(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
                  includes all over-the-air, cable and satellite 
                  transmissions; and
                      ``(B) does not include pay-per-view broadcasts.''.
      (b) Expansion, Modification, and Clarification of Exemptions.--The 
  first section of Public Law 87-331, commonly known as the ``Sports 
  Broadcasting Act'' (15 U.S.C. 1291) is amended to read as follows:
  
  ``SECTION 1. EXEMPTIONS FROM ANTITRUST LAWS OF AGREEMENTS COVERING THE 
                TELECASTING OF SPORTS CONTESTS, THE COMBINING OF 
                PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUES AND THE RELOCATION OF 
                SPORTS FRANCHISES.
  
      ``(a) Exemptions.--
              ``(1) In general.--Subject to subsection (b), the antitrust 
          laws shall not apply to any joint agreement described in 
          paragraph (2).
              ``(2) Joint agreements described.--A joint agreement 
          described in this paragraph is a joint agreement--
                      ``(A) by or among persons engaging in or conducting 
                  the organized professional team sports of football, 
                  baseball, basketball, or hockey, by which any league of 
                  clubs participating in that professional sport sells or 
                  otherwise transfers all or any part of the rights of 
                  the member clubs of that league in the sponsored 
                  telecasting of the games of that professional sport 
                  that are engaged in or conducted by those member clubs;
                      ``(B) by which the member clubs of 2 or more 
                  professional football leagues described in section 
                  501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and that 
                  are exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the 
                  Internal Revenue Code of 1986 combine their operations 
                  in an expanded single league that is exempt from income 
                  tax by reason of such section 501(a), if that 
                  agreement--
                              ``(i) increases the number of professional 
                          football clubs operating; and
                              ``(ii) contains provisions that are 
                          directly relevant to the combination of 
                          operations for such an expanded single league; 
                          or
                      ``(C) by which any league of clubs participating in 
                  a professional sport referred to in subparagraph (A) 
                  denies a member club the right to transfer the location 
                  of the franchise of that member club.
      ``(b) Conditions on Exemptions.--
              ``(1) In general.--The exemption under subsection (a) for a 
          joint agreement described in subsection (a)(2)(A) shall apply, 
          with respect to a football league or major league baseball 
          league only if the league of football or major league baseball 
          clubs involved--
                      ``(A) agrees--
                              ``(i) to meet the requirement under 
                          paragraph (2);
                              ``(ii) not later than 90 days after the 
                          date of enactment of the Stadium Financing and 
                          Franchise Relocation Act of 1999, to establish 
                          a special trust fund into which the league will 
                          deposit an amount equal to 10 percent of the 
                          amounts received under that joint agreement for 
                          the sale or transfer of the rights in sponsored 
                          telecasting of the games of the professional 
                          sport of that league in the United States, on 
                          the condition that any funds in the trust fund 
                          that are not obligated during the 10-year 
                          period beginning on the date on which those 
                          funds are deposited in that trust fund shall be 
                          withdrawn from that trust fund and treated as 
                          gross revenues of the league;
                              ``(iii) to use the amounts in the trust 
                          fund established under clause (ii) only for 
                          financing, in accordance with this section, the 
                          construction or renovation of playing 
                          facilities from which games of the teams of 
                          that league will be televised; and
                              ``(iv) to make available to a local 
                          governmental entity, upon request of that 
                          entity, from the amounts in the trust fund 
                          established under clause (ii), assistance for 
                          the cost of the construction or renovation of 
                          playing facilities to be used by a member club 
                          in that league (if that construction or 
                          renovation was not completed prior to the date 
                          of introduction of the Stadium Financing and 
                          Franchise Relocation Act of 1999), up to a 
                          maximum of one-half of that cost, if--
                                      ``(I) the local governmental entity 
                                  makes a commitment, under a lease or 
                                  other written agreement entered into 
                                  between the member club involved and 
                                  the local governmental entity, to 
                                  provide funds in an amount equal to at 
                                  least one-half of the amount of funds 
                                  to be provided for that purpose by the 
                                  league; and
                                      ``(II) the amounts requested by the 
                                  local governmental entity are available 
                                  or become available for obligation from 
                                  the trust fund established under clause 
                                  (ii); and
                      ``(B) not later than the date specified in 
                  subparagraph (A)(ii), notifies the Attorney General 
                  that the league will establish a trust fund in 
                  accordance with subparagraph (A).
              ``(2) Additional requirement.--If a league establishes a 
          trust fund under paragraph (1)(A), as a condition to receiving 
          an exemption under subsection (a)(2)(A), the league shall 
          exclude the amounts deposited in the trust fund from 
          designation as defined gross revenues of the league, or as any 
          other similar designation that describes revenues that are to 
          be shared by the member clubs or the players of the league.
              ``(3) Major league baseball.--
                      ``(A) In general.--The requirements of paragraphs 
                  (1) and (2) shall apply to a league of major league 
                  baseball clubs in the same manner as they apply to a 
                  league of professional football clubs.
                      ``(B) Other exemptions.--Nothing in this subsection 
                  is intended to affect any exemption from the antitrust 
                  laws that may apply to major league baseball with 
                  respect to activities that are not covered under this 
                  Act.''.
      (c) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
              (1) Area telecasting restriction limitation.--Section 2 of 
          Public Law 87-331, commonly known as the ``Sports Broadcasting 
          Act'' (15 U.S.C. 1292) is amended--
                      (A) by striking ``Sec. 2. Section'' and inserting 
                  the following:
  
  ``SEC. 2. AREA TELECASTING RESTRICTION LIMITATION.
  
      ``Section''; and
                      (B) by striking ``described in the first sentence 
                  of such section'' and inserting ``described in 
                  subsection (a)(2) of that section''.
              (2) Intercollegiate and interscholastic football consent 
          limitations.--Section 3 of Public Law 87-331, commonly known as 
          the ``Sports Broadcasting Act'' (15 U.S.C. 1293) is amended by 
          striking ``Sec. 3. The first sentence of section 1 of this 
          Act'' and inserting the following:
  
  ``SEC. 3. INTERCOLLEGIATE AND INTERSCHOLASTIC FOOTBALL CONSENT 
                LIMITATIONS.
  
      ``The exemption under section 1(a)''.
              (3) Statutory construction.--Section 4 of Public Law 87-
          331, commonly known as the ``Sports Broadcasting Act'' (15 
          U.S.C. 1293) is amended by striking ``Sec. 4. Nothing'' and 
          inserting the following:
  
  ``SEC. 4. STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.
  
      ``Nothing''.
target: Stadium Financing and Franchise Relocation Act of 1999 - Rewrites the Sports Broadcasting Act to exempt from the antitrust laws any joint agreement: (1) by or among persons engaging in or conducting the organized professional team sports of football, baseball, basketball, or hockey by which any league of clubs participating in that professional sport sells or otherwise transfers all or part of the rights of that league's member clubs in the sponsored telecasting of games; (2) by which the member clubs of two or more professional football leagues that are exempt from taxation combine their operations in an expanded single league that is exempt from income tax, if that agreement increases the number of professional football clubs operating and contains provisions that are directly relevant to the combination of operations for such league; or (3) by which any league of clubs participating in such a professional sport denies a member club the right to transfer the location of the franchise of that member club. 
  Conditions the exemption, with respect to a football league or major league baseball league, on the football league or major league baseball clubs involved agreeing to meet specified requirements, including the establishment of a special trust fund into which the league will deposit ten percent of the amounts received under the joint agreement for the sale or transfer of the rights in sponsored telecasting of games to finance the construction or renovation of playing facilities, upon request of a local governmental entity.
feat_title: Stadium Financing and Franchise Relocation Act of 1999