An Act to amend the Communications Act of 1934 with regard to the broadcasting of certain professional sports clubs' games.
Public Law 93-107 · S. 1841 · 93rd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Richard Nixon (R) on Sep 14, 1973 · Sports and Recreation
Sponsor: Sen. John Pastore (D-RI)
Cosponsors (4): Sen. Howard Cannon, Sen. Marlow Cook,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Provides that if any game of a professional sports club is to be broadcast by means of television pursuant to a league television contract and all tickets of admission for seats at such game which were available for purchase by the general public one hundred and twenty hours or more before the scheduled beginning time of such game have been purchased seventy-two hours or more before such time, no agreement which would prevent the broadcasting by means of television of such game at the same time and in the area in which such game is being played shall be valid.
States that the right to broadcast such game by means of television at such time and in such area shall be made available, by the person or persons having such right, to a television broadcast licensee on reasonable terms.
Directs the Federal Communications Commission to conduct a continuing study of the effect of this section and to, not later than April 15 of each year, submit a report to the Committee on Commerce of the Senate and the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce of the House of Representatives with respect thereto.
Repeals the provisions of this Act effective December 31, 1975.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 10 actions.
- Sep 14, 1973Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-107.
- Sep 13, 1973PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 9553.
- Sep 10, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Sep 6, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #379 (76-6).Senate roll call 379
- Jul 26, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- May 17, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.