Professional Sports Team Community Protection Act

(Reported to Senate from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with amendment, S. Rept. 98-592)

Professional Sports Team Community Protection Act - Prohibits any person from changing the community location of any professional, major league baseball, basketball, football, or hockey team unless: (1) the relevant league determines that the proposed relocation is necessary and appropriate; and (2) such relocation is approved by a Professional Sports Team Arbitration Board. Requires the relevant league to consider: (1) the adequacy of the home arena and the willingness of the arena authority to remedy any deficiencies; (2) fan support; (3) the extent to which the team has received public financial support; (4) the extent to which the team's owner or management has contributed to the need for relocation; (5) whether the team has incurred net operating losses sufficient to threaten its continued financial viability; (6) the degree to which the team has engaged in good faith negotiations with the community concerning terms for continuing to play in such community; (7) whether any other team in its league is located in such community; (8) whether the team proposes to relocate to a community in which no other team in its league is located; and (9) whether the arena authority is opposed to such relocation. Declares that this Act shall not affect the decision of a league to refuse to allow a member team to relocate or any league rule regarding any proposed relocation within the community of the relevant team.

Requires any person seeking to relocate such a team to: (1) provide three-months notice to the present arena authority and county in which such arena is located; and (2) send the league $50,000 to be used for activities of a Board.

Requires the establishment of a Board within 30 days after such notice is provided. Directs the relevant league, the governmental authority which operates the arena or the county where the arena is located, and the President of the American Arbitration Association to each appoint one of the Board's three members. Requires any person who makes or accepts an offer which would result in relocation of the team and any owner who issues notice of a proposed relocation to provide the Board access to all relevant financial records. Directs any person wishing to offer to purchase the team, or to provide terms more favorable to the team than existing terms, and to continue to locate the team in the same community (offer of retention) to: (1) make such offer within two months after the Board is established; and (2) notify the league, the arena authority, the county in which the team plays, and the Board of such offer. Requires the Board, not earlier than two months nor later than three months after receiving such notice, to conduct a formal hearing to: (1) consider whether the relocation is necessary and appropriate; and (2) take testimony regarding the estimated value of any proposed relocation or offer of retention. Directs the Board to disapprove any proposed relocation if: (1) it determines that the relocation is not necessary and appropriate; (2) it determines that an offer of retention not involving a change of team ownership is of a value equal to or greater than the proposed relocation; or (3) an offer of retention involving a change of team ownership is of a value equal to or greater than the proposed relocation and the league determines that the offeror meets its criteria for a transfer of league membership.

Limits the availability and scope of judicial review of actions taken by leagues, Boards, and communities regarding team relocations under this Act.

Declares that nothing in this Act shall affect any contract between a team and any arena or person. Provides that this Act shall apply to any relocation that occurs or that is scheduled to occur on or after June 13, 1984. Provides that this Act shall not apply to any team of a professional football league that certifies to specified congressional committees, by January 31, 1985, that: (1) it intends to expand by two the number of teams that existed on January 1, 1984; (2) the new teams will begin play in the league no later than the 1987 season; and (3) at least one of the new teams will be located in a community from which a team which is a league member moved after January 1, 1984. Prohibits any person from relocating any professional football team: (1) between June 13, 1984, and January 31, 1985, or the date of such an expansion notice; and (2) if such a notice is transmitted, until the earlier of the date theree years after such notice is transmitted January 31, 1988.