In 2017, however, the NCAA will not allow the state to host championship play due to its highly controversial and restrictive bathroom laws, which discriminate against transgender people.
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‘We believe in providing a safe and respectful environment at our events and are committed to providing the best experience possible for college athletes, fans and everyone taking part in our championships’.
Other events impacted by the NCAA’s decision include; the Division I women’s soccer championship, and the Division I women’s golf championships.
North Carolina Republican Party spokeswoman Kami Mueller said the NCAA decision was “so absurd it’s nearly comical”, according to a statement posted on Twitter.
“Under the NCAA’s logic, colleagues should make cheerleaders and football players share bathrooms, showers, and hotel rooms”.
Athletic directors at three of the state’s ACC schools – North Carolina’s Bubba Cunningham, North Carolina State’s Debbie Yow and Wake Forest’s Ron Wellman – issued statements saying they were disappointed at the loss of events.
An official, photographers, cheerleaders and others wait for play to resume during an NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second-round game between the Butler Bulldogs and the Virginia Cavaliers in March in Raleigh, N.C. This coming spring the Road to the Final Four won’t go through North Carolina, as the NCAA has made a decision to move three games out of Greensboro.
Nonprofit organization Athlete Ally, which fights against transphobia and homophobia in sports, said the NCAA decision was a huge statement and makes it very clear that any city or state wishing to be a host of the NCAA championships must protect as well as respect all LGBT constituents.
“It’ll cost some money and, of course, North Carolina is a great venue and always has a lot of fans”, Emmert told The Associated Press in an interview.
The law prevents cities and counties from passing protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. If you are unwilling to have women’s bathrooms and locker rooms, how do you have a women’s team?
The NBA moved its the All-Star game in Charlotte for the same reasons in July and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski called the law “embarrassing” in an interview with USA TODAY Sports.
Since HB2’s passage in March, several state governments – and nearly 20 local governments – have issued travel bans barring their employees from visiting the state on work-related trips.
New locations for the championships will be determined soon, Emmert said.
The Greensboro area was expected to receive a $14.5 million infusion from the tournament games, as well as $1.6 million from the soccer championships in December that are being moved, said Henri Fourrier, CEO of the Greensboro Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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Division III men’s and women’s tennis championship in Cary, May 22-27.
