Fans are not the only ones forced to keep up as sporting events shift from traditional TV channels to streaming platforms.
After Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) introduced the For the Fans Act in April, aiming to lower the cost of watching sports, two Wisconsin associations of restaurant and bar owners backed the bill, arguing that small businesses need help too.
“We did the math the other day, and I think it’s about 30 grand a year just for the services we have to pay for, not counting buying the TVs and the cable bill,” Johnny Kavanaugh, owner of LJ’s Sports Tavern in Madison, Wis., told CBS before his location hosted a roundtable with Baldwin and other business owners in May.
Some games—such as local Wisconsin volleyball and hockey contests—remain entirely unavailable to legally stream in a commercial setting, even as fans are given more choice at home. In Washington, D.C., National Restaurant Association advocates have met with lawmakers to raise awareness about individual operators’ concerns.
“People love two things in this country: They love their football team, and they love their restaurants,” National Restaurant Association chief advocacy officer Sean Kennedy said. “This issue is an interesting convergence between two pillars of every community.”
