Fed up with big games only on streaming? So are some Ohio lawmakers. – News 5 Cleveland WEWS

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A state lawmaker, fed up with not knowing how to watch Cleveland Cavaliers games without subscribing to a dozen services, is looking into drafting legislation to prevent exclusive streaming deals for professional sports.
“It’s a bunch of bull**** is what it is,” state Sen. Bill DeMora (D-Columbus) said.
Sports fans like DeMora are routinely frustrated when trying to watch their favorite team.
“It’s getting ridiculous for the everyday fan nowadays to watch sports because they have to have a dozen different services, streaming services or otherwise,” he said.
Many Cavs fans are feeling that right now. While in the playoffs against the Toronto Raptors, they played the first game on Amazon Prime Video. The second is on NBC’s paid service Peacock. The third will be back on Amazon. 
But sometimes they are on cable staples like ESPN, which viewers can also access on other streaming platforms like Disney+ and Hulu.
“Something’s got to be done about it,” DeMora said.
These subscriptions add up, which is why he is evaluating how to regulate these broadcast deals.
“If the Browns are on Amazon Prime on a Thursday night, the contract for the NFL says the local NBC station can show that game on NBC,” the lawmaker said. “If the NFL can do it, then all the rest of the leagues can too.”
We reached out to both the Cavs, who said this is the league’s media deal, and the NBA, which didn’t respond.
“It likely is free market,” Case Western Reserve University business law professor Eric Chaffee said.
The NBA has both the First Amendment and property rights on their side, Chaffee said, as contracts have already been signed.
“These are viewed as property rights on the part of the leagues, and as a result of that, there would be major constitutional hurdles for doing this,” he said.
A bipartisan bill DeMora previously introduced bans public universities from giving exclusive broadcasting rights to a streaming service. It had a second hearing in February, during which the Ohio Bar Owners Association testified in its favor.
RELATED: The Buckeyes game is on what channel?! Ohio bill would ban exclusive streaming contracts for college sports
Another bill, H.B. 697, is meant to protect local media in covering interscholastic sports. The legislation was introduced by Mark Hiner, who has worked in broadcasting for years.
It prevents an organization that regulates middle and high school sports from entering into an exclusive broadcast agreement that prohibits a local broadcaster or a school from covering a game in which its team is participating.
Both bills affect publicly funded entities in Ohio.
DeMora said that because Rocket Arena is publicly owned, he may have jurisdiction for some types of regulation. Chaffee said it’s possible but unlikely. 
“That’s some stretch,” the professor said. “It would be hard to figure out a way to do this type of regulation in a way that complies with the law.”
Still, DeMora said it’s worth a shot.
When regular people are hurting, and they can’t even watch their sports in their everyday lives — it’s getting ridiculous,” DeMora said.
Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.

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