North Carolina could be out of the NCAA championship hosting business through the next six years because of the state’s infamous “bathroom bill” — a law that restricts restroom access for transgender people.
Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance executive director Scott Dupree told state lawmakers in a letter Monday that the NCAA is reviewing hosting bids through the spring of 2022, and that the net loss for the state could be more than $250 million.
“Our contacts at the NCAA tell us that, due to their stance on HB 2, all North Carolina bids will be pulled from the review process and removed from consideration,” said Dupree, adding he was sharing the information on behalf of the North Carolina Sports Association.
The NCAA already made its first stand this past fall, taking two rounds of the men’s basketball tournament — along with several other title events — away from North Carolina this season in response to House Bill 2, a law that bars transgender people from using government-run restrooms that match their gender identity and limits local nondiscrimination protections.
Multiple large businesses and entertainers have boycotted the state in protest of the law as well, and the NBA even moved this year’s All-Star Game from Charlotte to New Orleans.
The law was adopted last March by Republican-controlled legislature. In December, a repeal bid failed during a one-day special legislative session. Dupree’s letter Monday already has Democratic lawmakers and advocacy groups calling for an immediate repeal.
No comments:
Post a Comment