ACC pulls football championship game from Charlotte because of HB2. Here’s what you need to know
Another one gone.
Yesterday afternoon, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced it would pull this year’s college football championship game out of Charlotte because of, you guessed it, House Bill 2. (Need a refresher on HB2? Here you go.)
The game was planned for Dec. 3 at Bank of America Stadium.
Here’s what you need to know:
– The announcement follows the NCAA’s decision on Monday to remove its championship games from the state because of HB2.
– The football championship game has been held in N.C. since 2010 and is under contract to be in the city through 2019.
– This is a big deal for Charlotte’s economy. The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority estimated that the 2015 game in Charlotte had a total economic impact of $32.4 million.
– This isn’t the first big sporting event to leave town because of the law. The NBA also moved the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte to New Orleans because of HB2.
– The ACC actually said it would move all of its neutral-site championships out of N.C.: women’s basketball (Greensboro), baseball (Durham), women’s soccer (Cary), swimming and diving (Greensboro), women’s golf (Greensboro), men’s golf (New London), and men’s and women’s tennis (Cary).
What’s next?
There are a few more big sporting events scheduled to be held in Charlotte in the coming year:
– The Belk Bowl is scheduled for Dec. 29 at Bank of America Stadium. Charlotte Sports Foundation Executive Director Will Webb said he has no reason to believe that the NCAA certification given to put on the game will be revoked this year.
– The CIAA basketball tournament has been held in Charlotte since 2006. The conference said that any relocation of the tournament is at the discretion of its board of directors.
– The PGA Championship comes to Charlotte’s Quail Hollow Club next August. The PGA said back in July that the golf tournament would stay in Charlotte.
– Looking farther ahead, Charlotte submitted a bid to host the NCAA men’s basketball tournament games at the Cable Box (the Spectrum Center aka the building formerly known as TWC Arena) for three years, 2020-2022. A decision about those games is expected sometime next year.
They said it:
“The ACC Council of Presidents reaffirmed our collective commitment to uphold the values of equality, diversity, inclusion and non-discrimination. … We believe North Carolina House Bill 2 is inconsistent with these values.” – ACC Council of Presidents.
“The truth remains that this law was never about and does not promote discrimination. We will continue to advocate that North Carolina is a great place to live, do business, hold events and to visit.” – Republican House Speaker Tim Moore, one of the HB2 architects.
How many companies and sports organizations have to leave NC before the Governor & NCGA leadership wake up to the 21st Century & repeal HB2?
— Mayor of Charlotte (@CLTMayor) September 14, 2016
This week’s “announcements are an attempt to force the State of North Carolina to sacrifice our children’s safety on the altar of political correctness, and legislators who voted to stop this trend should think twice before they abandon our children.” – Tami Fitzgerald, executive director of the NC Values Coalition.
Read more here.
Photo: Mark Hames/Charlotte Observer
This story was originally published September 14, 2016 at 11:02 PM with the headline "ACC pulls football championship game from Charlotte because of HB2. Here’s what you need to know."