NCAA to review HB2 repeal, decide next week on North Carolina return
The NCAA says it will decide next week whether to allow North Carolilna to host championship events after the state repealed House Bill 2.
House Bill 2 is a law that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The law requires people to use public restrooms that correspond to the gender on their birth certificate.
North Carolina has submitted bids for 133 NCAA championship events between 2018 and 2022. According to an Associated Press analysis. the so-called "bathroom bill" will cost the state more than $3.76 billion in lost business over a dozen years if it remains in place.
The Atlantic Coast Conference relocated championships to neutral sites due to the bill with the NCAA following suit by relocating all seven previously awarded championship events from North Carolina during the 2016-17 academic year.
This included the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship first and second rounds games, which were moved to Greenville, South Carolina from Greensboro.
The NBA also moved its All-Star Game out of Charlotte because of HB2 The game was held in New Orleans this season.
Texas has a similar bill that is being proposed. The season's men's Final Four is scheduled to be held at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
"We're trying hard not to second-guess where states are going to go and not go," NCAA president Mark Emmert said. "There were something like five states that had similar bills of various forms and none passed. I don't know that we should presuppose what a state is going to do. I know the Texas speaker doesn't think this is a very good bill and he's very powerful there."
North Carolina head coach Roy Williams and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski have spoken out against the Bill.
- Scooby Axson
