Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) wants to use the power of the federal government to force sports teams to lower their ticket prices for lower-income Americans.

In a Tuesday post on X, the lawmaker praised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s announcement that his office secured 1,000 discounted $100 tickets for the U.S. Open. 

“We're very excited that today we announced that we have secured 1,000 discounted tickets for New Yorkers to be sold at $100 a ticket,” the mayor said in his announcement. “They will go on sale tomorrow at 10:00 AM, and any New Yorker who lives in our city, all they will be required to do is provide their zip code. They can buy a ticket for themselves and one other lucky person. It'll be first come, first serve, pun intended.”

“Mayor Mamdani is right,” Sanders wrote. “Working people should be able to afford to attend live sporting events. I’ll soon be introducing a bill demanding that professional sports teams make their tickets affordable. If taxpayers helped fund a stadium they must be able to afford to sit in it.”

Sanders has long believed that the government should exert more control over sports teams and sporting events, using the excuse that taxpayers fund these organizations. Back in March, Sanders and Democrat Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35) introduced the Home Team Act, which requires sports team owners to give a year’s notice before moving to new cities or states.

Recommended
Meet the Woman Who Was Just Busted for Jury Intimidation During the Lindsay Clancy Trial Matt Vespa Here's What Trump Wants to Rename the Strait of Hormuz To Cameron Arcand

Under this law, owners must grant local communities, nonprofits, or fan-backed groups a fair-market right of first refusal to purchase the team. The legislation seeks to prevent civic assets from being leveraged for public subsidies.

Here’s a better idea. How about local and state governments stop using taxpayer funds for sporting events altogether? The government’s role is to protect our rights, not swipe money from hardworking Americans only to pour it into sports stadiums and other endeavors.