A statement sent from the Durham Bulls read, in part, “We understand the conference’s position, and support our partner’s decision to remove those championships from North Carolina”.
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FILE- In this July 5, 2016 file photo, North Carolina Democratic gubernatorial candidate Roy Cooper speaks at a rally for Hillary Clinton in Charlotte, N.C. The NCAA and ACC delivered the latest blows this week, stripping the state of its lucrative championships and leaving Governor Pat McCrory, a Republican, with another deep bruise as he fights for his political life. Both the NCAA, on Monday, and the Atlantic Coast Conference, on Wednesday, said they’re canceling championships here because of House Bill 2, which limits protections for LGBT people. Duke’s men’s basketball schedule had to be reconfigured when Albany backed out due to that state’s travel ban, and the Vermont women’s basketball team has canceled a December trip to play North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
“Everybody has been saying for months now this bill is discriminatory – it’s bad for business, it means we can’t very easily come to North Carolina with our events”, Sgro said.
Concerns about the economic impact of HB2 have been raised as businesses, entertainers and sports organizations have pulled commercial investments from North Carolina in opposition of the law.
The NCAA has asked Kennesaw State if it would consider submitting a bid to host the relocated women’s soccer and lacrosse national championships, athletic director Vaughn Williams confirmed Wednesday.
Democrats and opponents of HB2 have been calling for a repeal of the law most of the year, and the battle cry was reignited by the college sports’ announcements.
A Republican state senator says the North Carolina legislature should consider repealing the law she and other GOP colleagues approved in March limiting anti-discrimination rules for LGBT people and which bathrooms transgender people can use. That included the ACC football championship, which is generally held in Charlotte.
The ACC, which is a conference under the NCAA umbrella, was likely forced to follow suit because of the NCAA’s decision.
A statement from the ACC Council of Presidents said the championships will remain on campuses because the universities are committed “to uphold the values of equality, diversity, inclusion, and non-discrimination”.
The NBA moved its All-Star game, scheduled for February of 2017, from Charlotte to New Orleans.
The ACC has also chose to move the baseball, golf, tennis, swimming and diving, women’s soccer, and women’s basketball championships, all of which were scheduled to be played in various cities in North Carolina.
“While this decision is the right one, we recognize there will be individuals and communities that are supportive of our values as well as our championship sites that will be negatively affected”, he said.
Overall the move is expected to lose the state of North Carolina at least $30 million.
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“The ACC presidents engaged in a constructive, wide-ranging and vigorous discussion of this complex issue over the past two days, Clemson University president James P. Clements, chair of the ACC Council of Presidents, stated”.
