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It has now been one year since the North Carolina State Legislature passed the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, more commonly known as “HB2” or its nickname, the “Bathroom Bill.” Since then, North Carolina has seen a loss of as much as $630 million from its GDP as large companies and organizations have made their exodus from the state, citing their opposition to the law. In sports, however, even greater impacts are apparent, leading many to question if North Carolina’s rich athletic history will be lost to political decisions.
The controversial House Bill 2 was passed in response to the Charlotte City Council’s ordinance 7056, which allowed transgender individuals to use the restroom in public buildings that corresponded to their gender identity. Reactionaries in Raleigh led an initial effort to prevent city legislatures from passing anti-discrimination laws that contradicted State law.
However, in its completed form it came to state that in government buildings, “individuals may only use restrooms and changing facilities that correspond to the sex on their birth certificates,” along with removing anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people under North Carolina law.
Immediate reaction was swift, as large companies like PayPal and Deutsche Bank canceled plans to build new facilities in Charlotte and Cary, and several popular music acts canceled their plans to visit the state. The next wave came from other states, as for banned subsidized state employees travel to and from North Carolina.
In the world of sports, the impact may be more severe. Although not nearly as many jobs will be lost in athletics programs as in the private sector, the impact to the state’s proud reputation in collegiate and professional sports is certainly being felt. The NFL, NBA, NCAA and several other sports associations have all spoken out against the law and have reconsidered future events in North Carolina.
Last summer, the National Basketball Association decided to pull its All-Star Game from Charlotte and move it to New Orleans. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had previously warned state government officials that if a change were not made to the HB2 law, the NBA would re-evaluate hosting the game in Charlotte. No change was made, and in July 2016 the game was moved to New Orleans, costing Charlotte and North Carolina an estimated $100 million in potential revenue.
The U.S. Golf Association, which has hosted the U.S. Open Championships in Pinehurst, North Carolina, has also stated that it will continue to monitor the status and impacts of the HB2 law when planning future events. The USGA cites the need to provide an inclusive environment for their championships.
The NCAA removed seven tournaments and championships from North Carolina, including first and second round games in the Division 1 Men’s Basketball Tournament, a.k.a. March Madness. The games, which would have added to Greensboro’s 63 previous NCAA Tournament events, were moved to Greenville, South Carolina, subtracting a massive portion of Greensboro’s $1.2 billion tourist industry.
The city, nicknamed “Tournament Town,” has been the site of both NCAA and ACC basketball tournament games, and takes a major loss in these events being removed from the city.
The NCAA’s and ACC’s moves do not only affect Greensboro however, as Raleigh and Cary have also lost their regular spot of hosting basketball tournament games. North Carolina is known throughout the nation and the world for its background in basketball, thus the loss of these events is a major blow to basketball culture in the Tar Heel State.
The NCAA also moved several other championships, including ones to be hosted in Cary and Greenville, two smaller cities dependent on their sports tourism industry.
The ACC went as far as to remove all neutral-site games from North Carolina for the 2016-17 year and likely the upcoming year as well, which also included the 2017 ACC Football Championship.
The CIAA then made the decision to move eight conference championships from North Carolina, citing the conferences’ opposition to laws that prevent protections for student-athletes and fans.
Speaking out against law hasn’t always come from outside sources in the sports world, as some opposition has come from inside North Carolina itself.
The NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes’ representatives stated that they intend to create inclusive environments for all at their events. NBA legend and owner of the Charlotte Hornets Michael Jordan has voiced his disdain for the HB2 law, stating that his team is opposed to discrimination in any form. Charlotte is also the birthplace and home of NASCAR, whose chairman Brian France is also opposed to the law.
The future of North Carolina sports is incredibly unclear, and at this point doesn’t look very bright. Recently elected Gov. Roy Cooper rode a wave of angry public sentiment over HB2 into office, but has since downplayed its negative effects.
In the past two months the NCAA has had committees evaluate the status of the law and its effects within the state. The association has threatened to remove all championships and neutral-site events from North Carolina until 2022 if no progress is made on HB2. If this outcome were decided upon, it is estimated to cost the state a quarter-billion dollars; however, the cost to the sporting culture of North Carolina would be immeasurable.