The NBA is close to pulling the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte over North Carolina’s controversial “bathroom bill”, The Vertical reported Thursday.
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Commissioner Adam Silver has consistently stated his and the league’s objection to the measure, which nullifies local anti-discrimination ordinances and bars transgender people from using the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo’s the Vertical, New Orleans has emerged as the front-runner to replace Charlotte as the host for the February 19 game.
The NBA said it would relocate the game if an anti-LGBTQ law was not repealed. “They weren’t guaranteeing it and I think which was why my response was the event still is 10 months from now, we don’t need to make a decision yet”, Silver said in April.
New Orleans hosted the event in 2014.
It’s an unfortunate situation for the city of Charlotte, as the state law that is likely to cost them the All-Star weekend not only didn’t originate there but it came as a response to pro-LGBTQ legislation passed by the city.
“This is a very hard issue for us, and we’re trying to be extremely cautious and deliberate in how we go about making the decision”, Silver said in Las Vegas.
Silver himself concluded back in April that if North Carolina didn’t change its law, the National Basketball Association would indeed move the game.
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Now, if the Yahoo! report is correct, it appears the effort to engage North Carolina officials constructively has gone for naught.
