SB 94: Regards broadcasts of intercollegiate athletic competitions
This bill enacts a new section in the Ohio Revised Code to regulate broadcasts of intercollegiate athletic competitions. It prohibits state universities from entering into contracts where media rights to broadcast university events are granted exclusively to a streaming service, except in cases where federal law permits. The bill requires state universities to provide enrolled students with access to broadcast university events at no cost, allowing them to observe these events. The state universities are responsible for determining how this access is provided to students.
| Feb. 12, 2025 | Referred to committee: Higher Education |
| Feb. 10, 2025 | Introduced |
As Introduced
136th General Assembly Regular Session 2025-2026
S. B. No. 94
Senator DeMora
A B I L L
To enact section 3345.88 of the Revised Code 1
regarding broadcasts of intercollegiate athletic 2
competitions. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That section 3345.88 of the Revised Code be 4
enacted to read as follows: 5
Sec. 3345.88. (A) As used in this section: 6
(1) "University athletic event" means an intercollegiate 7
athletic competition in which a student-athlete or team of 8
student-athletes affiliated with a state university participate. 9
(2) "State university" has the same meaning as in section 10
3345.011 of the Revised Code. 11
(B) To the extent permitted by federal law, no state 12
university shall enter into or renew a contract under which the 13
media rights to broadcast a university athletic event are 14
granted exclusively to a streaming service. This division 15
applies only to contracts entered into or renewed on or after 16
the effective date of this section. 17
(C) Each state university shall provide enrolled students, 18
S. B. No. 94 As Introduced
at no cost to the students, with access to observe any 19
university athletic events that are broadcast in accordance with 20
a contract entered into or renewed in accordance with division 21
(B) of this section. Each state university shall determine the 22
manner in which such access is provided to students. 23