On April 30th, Virginia became the second state this year to legalize sports betting. Not only that, but Virginia also became the second jurisdiction, after Washington, DC, to fully adopt the Sports Bettors Bill of Rights, making it the most consumer-friendly legal marketplace in the country. Effective July 1, 2020, sports bettors in Virginia will be guaranteed the rights to integrity and transparency, data privacy, self-exclusion, protection of the vulnerable, and recourse.  Continue reading

A couple of weeks ago, as St. Paddy’s Day was approaching, New York Yankees fans had been counting down the days to the start of another baseball season, and the holiday known as “Opening Day,” and suddenly everything came to an abrupt stop! Continue reading

I watched it happen in real-time. I saw the reaction of the players, the coaches, the referees on the court, the ESPN broadcasters, the fans, the owner. It was devastating and all too real to be happening already. I had been closely following and reading the news, specifically New York Times, of the (at the time) impending global health crisis, so I knew it was coming to the US soon. I just didn’t think it would happen this quickly, a Wednesday night in early March. It didn’t seem real, that the NBA would close as swiftly as a pin drop, falling from the not so distant sky and landing right on my personal map, shattering my present, my daily life. Continue reading

It's been almost a week with no sports. No March Madness, no MLB, and even pick-up games have dwindled. Times are hard, and I find myself rooting for anything I can; the dogs wrestling, the squirrels racing outside, and especially our doctors and nurses to get a leg up on the COVID competition.  Continue reading

On March 5th, 2020 the Maryland State Senate is expected to pass S 4 to legalize sports betting. The bill’s passage marks one of the earliest sports betting legalization bills in the country to prioritize the sports bettor over the casino industry. Sports Fans Coalition has advocated that the “Sports Bettors Bill of Rights” be included in S 4.  Continue reading

This week Senator Bob Menendez (D NJ) and Representative Bill Pascrell (D NJ-9) introduced the Supporting Athletes, Families, and Educators to Protect the Lives of Athletic Youth Act (S. 3347). The SAFE PLAY Act will improve youth athlete safety by focusing on education and awareness of cardiac issues, concussions, and heat-related illnesses. It also directs the CDC and Department of Education to collaborate on new guidelines for emergency action plans for youth athletes.  Continue reading

It's championship season in Washington, DC. The Mystics won their first WNBA championship, the Nationals won their first World Series, and three elected officials won their first Most Valuable Policymaker Award. Continue reading

Sports impact our lives and our economy in ways big and small. Sports permeate American culture in a way nothing else can, transcending gender, race, class, and political affiliation.  American fandom, however, is under attack. Corporations rake in big bucks taking advantage of your devotion to your teams and players. However, many of our elected officials stand idly by while fans get overcharged, college athletes are exploited, women soccer players win more but are paid less than their male counterparts, and greedy owners exploit the men and women who work to make our game experience memorable. One elected official is not silent: presidential candidate, Senator Cory Booker. Continue reading

In the wake of the USWNT’s World Cup victory, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D CA) and Representative Lois Frankel (D FL-21) introduced legislation which would grant all women under the US Olympic system equal pay. The pay disparity between men and women under the US Soccer Federation is no secret and has made national headlines this summer. Feinstein and Frankel’s bill. The Athletics Fair Pay Act was the first of several new pieces of legislation to rectify this injustice. Continue reading

Sports Fans Coalition has long advocated for better live event ticketing legislation that would improve transparency, promote competition, and reduce fraud. The issues that plague sports fans when they try to purchase a baseball ticket or resell that ticket because they can no longer make the game are not new to sports fans. Fortunately, in the past couple of years, many states have heard SFC's plight and have made significant improvements to their marketplaces. Continue reading