A revision to NCAA policies could cost the state of North Carolina future opportunities at hosting NCAA-sponsored events.
The NCAA announced Wednesday the approval of an anti-discrimination process for cities bidding to host future championships and other events sponsored by the organization. Potential host sites will be asked to “demonstrate how they will provide an environment that is safe, healthy, and free of discrimination, plus safeguards the dignity of everyone involved in the event.”
The release specified that the NCAA promotes “inclusiveness in race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity as a vital element to protecting the well-being of student-athletes, promoting diversity in hiring practices and creating a culture of fairness.”
Last month, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed into law a bill that, in part, requires people to use the bathroom of the gender specified on their birth certificate. Those against the law argue that it discriminates against the transgender community.
As a result of the NCAA revision, cities such as Raleigh, Greensboro and Charlotte, which regularly serve as host sites for the NCAA tournament, are now in jeopardy of losing the chance to hold such events in the future.
The only state in the nation that is not eligible to be selected as a pre-determined site for NCAA games, conventions and events is Mississippi. The state of Mississippi remains ineligible because of the presence of the Confederate flag in its capitol grounds. In the past, it did not allow people to sue in state courts for discrimination in the workplace.
The NCAA isn’t acting alone in its threat to boycott the state of North Carolina if House Bill 2 isn’t repealed. NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced last week that next year’s All-Star game, which is scheduled to take place in Charlotte, will be moved outside the state if the law isn’t changed.
The topic was discussed on The David Glenn Show this week, where a word of advice was given to the state of North Carolina: If you don’t want to be treated like the state of Mississippi, then you have to stop acting like the state of Mississippi.
Click below to hear the full segment: