Bill to even the playing field for sports broadcast access passes Senate

Oklahoma is known for its love of sports, but some home teams aren’t playing fair when it comes to allowing access to broadcast streams of games for their opponents. Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, authored Senate Bill 302 to ensure all fans get the opportunity to watch their favorite high school teams and players.

“In today’s hectic world, many fans depend on watching their teams online. There is nothing more exciting than watching your kid online or your hometown team score that touchdown or goal, make the free throw or hit a homerun,” Coleman said. “Unfortunately, more and more home teams have started denying access to video streams for the visiting teams, a disturbing trend that has students, families and school districts upset. Senate Bill 302 is an effort to even the playing field to ensure equal access to game coverage for all schools.”

The bill grants visiting teams in all regular high school athletic competitions the same rights to radio broadcast, video stream and providing telegraphic play-by-play accounts as the home team beginning in the 2021-22 school year. To utilize these rights, the visiting team must have either a valid agreement between a media organization and the school’s board of education or a curricular program for students that provides streaming for home games. The bill applies to contracts for rights to radio broadcast, video stream and providing telegraphic play-by-play accounts entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2021.

The score on this bill was 45-1 in the Senate, and it’s been pitched over to the House where Rep. Chris Kannady, R-Oklahoma City, is serving as House author.

For more information, contact:  Sen. Coleman: (405) 521-5581 or Bill.Coleman@oksenate.gov