Southern Conference could follow ACC, NCAA lead and move championships from NC over HB2

The Southern Conference is debating whether to move three championships scheduled for the 2016-2017 school year from North Carolina due to House Bill 2.

The 10-member conference has scheduled its men’s soccer championship for Greensboro Nov. 10 and 12; men’s and women’s basketball in Asheville March 2-6; and men’s golf in Pinehurst April 23-25.

Phil Perry, the conference’s assistant director for media relations, said the conference’s chancellors and presidents are scheduled to meet this week to discuss moving the games.

Member schools are in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Alabama. UNC Greensboro and Western Carolina are North Carolina’s member schools.

The conference, headquartered in Spartanburg, could follow the lead of the NCAA, which moved scheduled championships from the state, including first round games of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament that were scheduled for Greensboro in March.

The Atlantic Coast Conference has also announced that it’s moving all pre-determined championship games from North Carolina, including the Dec. 3 football championship scheduled for Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The ACC hasn’t announced a new home for the game, though Orlando is considered the favorite.

This story was originally published September 20, 2016 at 3:18 PM with the headline "Southern Conference could follow ACC, NCAA lead and move championships from NC over HB2."