• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

NBA 2017 All-Star Game moving to New Orleans due to NC's anti-LGBT bill

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

RBH

Member
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators are urging the National Basketball Association to move the 2017 NBA All-Star Game away from Charlotte, North Carolina, because of a state law that limits protection for gay, lesbian and transgender people.

Democratic Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Patty Murray of Washington state, along with Republican Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois, wrote to NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday.

The senators said they "hold no ill will toward the people of Charlotte" but cannot "stand idly by as North Carolina moves to legalize and institutionalize discrimination."

The senators said the NBA made history when Jason Collins became the first openly gay athlete in a major U.S. sports league two years ago.

Last week, NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley also called on the NBA to move the 2017 All-Star Game to a different location.

"As a black person, I'm against any form of discrimination -- against whites, Hispanics, gays, lesbians, however you want to phrase it," Barkley told CNN. "It's my job, with the position of power that I'm in and being able to be on television, I'm supposed to stand up for the people who can't stand up for themselves. So, I think the NBA should move the All-Star Game from Charlotte."

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy also called on the NBA to move the game, calling it a civil rights issue this week.

Earlier this month, the Atlanta City Council asked the NBA to move the 2017 All-Star Game to Atlanta because of the law. The NBA responded by saying it was hopeful a resolution could be reached.

The NBA's owners are expected to be updated on the situation surrounding the 2017 All-Star Game at this week's board of governors meetings, to be held on Thursday and Friday in New York.

On Tuesday, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory filed an executive order that extends further protections to state employees based on sexual orientation and gender identity, but left intact the bulk of the law, known as House Bill 2 (HB2).

McCrory also said he will ask lawmakers to file legislation later this month allowing people to sue in state court over discrimination. That right had been wiped out by the law.

But the statement said that his order will maintain gender-specific restroom and locker-room access in government buildings and schools. He once again condemned a Charlotte ordinance passed earlier this year that allowed transgender people to use bathrooms corresponding to their gender identity, calling it "a solution in search of a problem."

His announcement came as fallout widens over the law he signed last month that would limit protections for gay, lesbian and transgender people.

The NFL said earlier this month it would not move its May 23-25 meetings from Charlotte despite the law.

The NCAA, which is scheduled to hold men's basketball tournament games in Greensboro in 2017 and Charlotte in 2018, issued a statement last month saying it's monitoring the situation and takes diversity into account when it chooses its event sites.
Click to expand...
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...l-2017-all-star-game-charlotte-north-carolina
 
B

BigDug13

Member
So are we at the point where we are saying "fuck that company" for any company who is unwilling to change course and sacrifice profits to make a political statement?
 
C

Cheebo

Banned
BigDug13 said:
So are we at the point where we are saying "fuck that company" for any company who is unwilling to change course and sacrifice profits to make a political statement?
Click to expand...
Why wouldn't we be? It would be fantastic if every big corporation boycotted the state to force them to reverse the law.

Also calling it a political statement is not fair. This is blatant discrimination they would be boycotting. Would a business who refused to make blacks use separate bathrooms be deemed simply a "political statement"?
 
B

blackflag

Member
CastleRybread said:
This is the same league that suspended rondo a single game for calling a gay man a faggot. Basically outed the referee because of his actions.

They need to worry about how they treat their own employees and issues in the workforce first before they get all high and mighty.

I disagree with the law and what the Republicans are doing, but when you advocate for social justice and have very little history of actually advancing causes I am skeptical.
Click to expand...

So when is a good time to start doing the right thing then? Sounds like you think they should play the game there.
 
G

Gentleman Jack

Member
BigDug13 said:
So are we at the point where we are saying "fuck that company" for any company who is unwilling to change course and sacrifice profits to make a political statement?
Click to expand...

So what if we are? Do you have a problem with people saying "Fuck the NFL" for it's generally regressive position on player health, violence against women and LGBT rights?
 
B

BigDug13

Member
Cheebo said:
Why wouldn't we be? It would be fantastic if every big corporation boycotted the state to force them to reverse the law.

Also calling it a political statement is not fair. This is blatant discrimination they would be boycotting. Would a business who refused to make blacks use separate bathrooms be deemed simply a "political statement"?
Click to expand...

Your analogy doesn't work. By continuing to do business in NC, the NFL is not saying they agree with or practice the act of discrimination. Nor is NC saying "you must engage in discrimination."

But it's fine to hate the NFL. Plenty of bullshit there to hate on.

I'm just hoping this doesn't turn into a witch hunt where every single company doing business in NC is suddenly the villain for not discontinuing their business.
 
L

loudbill

Member
They really need to move it to a place that has never had it befofe. It feels like it's been hosted in the same 2 places for the last decade.
 
L

levious

That throwing stick stunt of yours has boomeranged on us.
Cheebo said:
Wow, fuck the NFL for that.
Click to expand...

It's just an owners meeting. They have been forceful for change over the years. They denied Arizona a super bowl bid until they honored Martin Luther King day. Didn't the imply the same to GA over their recent bill as well?

But to be clear. I certainly would have rather they relocated the meeting.
But I just don't see it as an event that particularly benefits the region.
 
G

Grover Cleveland

Member
Per the Charlotte Observer, the NBA will address the 2017 All-Star Game in a press conference tomorrow.

My guess: we're not holding that game in Charlotte. Which is unfortunate, but state legislatures passing bullshit laws that treat subsets of their citizenry as subhuman is more unfortunate.

It will be interesting to see how the NCGA actually were to respond if the NBA takes that route. That is the league's only real way to punish the "state" but (as has been posted I'm sure many times in here and in the various other threads on House Bill 2), there are plenty of people in Raleigh who aren't actually enamored with the city of Charlotte and wouldn't be terribly broken up to see the biggest city in the state take losses over this bill.

Why? Politics, of course. Drive business from an increasingly blue population center and you ultimately end up driving people from it too, which in turn limits its influence over state politics and elections. Let Charlotte and the Triangle take the fall for this and suddenly the 80% of the state that's ruby red has greater power.
 
O

obijkenobi

Member
Grover Cleveland said:
Per the Charlotte Observer, the NBA will address the 2017 All-Star Game in a press conference tomorrow.

My guess: we're not holding that game in Charlotte. Which is unfortunate, but state legislatures passing bullshit laws that treat subsets of their citizenry as subhuman is more unfortunate.

It will be interesting to see how the NCGA actually were to respond if the NBA takes that route. That is the league's only real way to punish the "state" but (as has been posted I'm sure many times in here and in the various other threads on House Bill 2), there are plenty of people in Raleigh who aren't actually enamored with the city of Charlotte and wouldn't be terribly broken up to see the biggest city in the state take losses over this bill.

Why? Politics, of course. Drive business from an increasingly blue population center and you ultimately end up driving people from it too, which in turn limits its influence over state politics and elections. Let Charlotte and the Triangle take the fall for this and suddenly the 80% of the state that's ruby red has greater power.
Click to expand...

It hurts the city, but that's still a lot of money for the state to leave off the table. And even more negative publicity.
 
D

DominoKid

Member
I would love it if the NBA kept it in Charlotte and said its cause they were originally in the right. I just dont want them to move the game cause I already got the money set aside for it and its my most anticipated game of the year.
 
SolidSnakeUS

SolidSnakeUS

Member
Watch them go into billions into debt and not back down on the bill. Gonna be funny to watch them try to blame someone else for this issue.
 
H

hodayathink

Member
levious said:
It's just an owners meeting. They have been forceful for change over the years. They denied Arizona a super bowl bid until they honored Martin Luther King day. Didn't the imply the same to GA over their recent bill as well?

But to be clear. I certainly would have rather they relocated the meeting.
But I just don't see it as an event that particularly benefits the region.
Click to expand...

You're correct about MLK Day. And a couple years ago the NFL threatened to move the Super Bowl away from Arizona again after they got a "right to discriminate" law up to the governor. If this were the draft, or anything public like that, I can almost guarantee you that it would have been moved. But an owners meeting is such an insignificant thing that I can see them not seeing the point of moving it.
 
J

Josh5890

Member
Cheebo said:
Wow, fuck the NFL for that.
Click to expand...

Realistically how much revenue will the meetings bring in? I get that there is hotel and restaurant money on the line but I don't see NFL owners meetings as that big of a revenue stream.

Anyway I think the NBA All-Star Game will be moved. There is precedence. Arizona once lost the Super Bowl because they had not recognized MLK day so the NFL pulled out.
 
G

Grover Cleveland

Member
Retro4ever said:
Realistically how much revenue will the meetings bring in? I get that there is hotel and restaurant money on the line but I don't see NFL owners meetings as that big of a revenue stream.
Click to expand...

Short Answer: None.

Long Answer: Not enough to actually be significant.

Other than an increased national media presence, the owner meetings do absolutely nothing for the town they're hosted in.

I mean, you can move them out of principle, but you aren't hurting a damn soul's pockets by doing so.
 
J

Josh5890

Member
Fenderputty said:
The NFL is so popular the league could run a sex trafficking ring for the players benefit and it wouldn't effect viewership
Click to expand...

That is what people said about MLB back in the 70's and 80's and they lost that goodwill really quick.

I envision a scenario where the NFL slowly drops in popularity within the next ten years. They are huge but certainly not too big to fail
 
S

Sweeney Tom

Banned
BigDug13 said:
So are we at the point where we are saying "fuck that company" for any company who is unwilling to change course and sacrifice profits to make a political statement?
Click to expand...

If you have any amount of power/wealth/fame, are doing business in that area, and don't actively speak out against it, absolutely fuck that company, person, or group. Absolutely.

The bare minimum you should be able to do is say it's wrong and either threaten to leave or promise to donate to specifically LGBT+ supportive charities. If you think you're above that in any way, I've got no problem telling you you're fucking horrible and deserve to lose business along with the rest of the state. What NC and other states are doing is wrong. Fuck giving them or sympathizers any leeway on this.
 
L

LudicrousSpeed

Member
BigDug13 said:
Your analogy doesn't work. By continuing to do business in NC, the NFL is not saying they agree with or practice the act of discrimination. Nor is NC saying "you must engage in discrimination."
Click to expand...

The game is being held at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, a facility owned by the city. Since the arena is a government-owned facility, HB2 applies to it and the bathroom provisions must be enforced at the site of the game.

So, yes, they are mandating that the NBA's event engages in discrimination.
 
H

hodayathink

Member
LudicrousSpeed said:
The game is being held at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, a facility owned by the city. Since the arena is a government-owned facility, HB2 applies to it and the bathroom provisions must be enforced at the site of the game.

So, yes, they are mandating that the NBA's event engages in discrimination.
Click to expand...

He's talking about the NFL not moving some owners meetings, not the NBA moving the All-Star game.
 
U

Unknown Soldier

Member
DarthWoo said:
It's a pity that cities can't just secede from their states.
Click to expand...

I'm still waiting for the South to try and secede from the Union again so we can let them this time.

Retro4ever said:
That is what people said about MLB back in the 70's and 80's and they lost that goodwill really quick.

I envision a scenario where the NFL slowly drops in popularity within the next ten years. They are huge but certainly not too big to fail
Click to expand...

The MLB lost all that goodwill because of the infamous 1994-5 strike which wiped out an entire season and the World Series. I'm not imagining the NFL will be foolish enough to ever go down that road, if there was a lesson learned from that strike it's that nothing is more disastrous to a professional sport than suspending it's operations so the rich owners can fight with the rich players over who gets more money.

The NFL will start having problems if too many of the new generation of future players start turning away from football to other sports to avoid getting concussions or other football-related injuries. Right now this whole country funnels it's most talented athletes into football, if that ever stopped happening there would be a massive movement of talent to baseball, basketball, hockey, and soccer which would simultaneously increase the quality of product of the other sports while decreasing the quality of product the NFL can provide. That's the real long term decline which could lead to a corresponding decrease in popularity.
 
T

Third Strike

Member
rokkerkory said:
Applaud NBA due to this. Good move.

The economic strain will make NC change.
Click to expand...

I really wish that was the case. Republicans in North Carolina have been at "war" with many of the urban centers, in particular Charlotte, since 2011. These are politicians that are gerrymandered in their rural districts, and will do anything to prevent the influx of liberal voters into the state. They did it to Kansas, and they'll have no problem with doing it in North Carolina. They don't care if our economy or reputation hits the floor. The areas they represent are already high in unemployment and poverty. This changes nothing from their voting base. This Fall, you'll see huge turnouts in the blue counties to vote out some of these wackos, but that won't be enough, since these voters are highly concentrated in a few urban districts.

I honestly think North Carolina is beyond fucked now. Only the federal government can make any real change now.
 
R

RBH

Member
The NBA and the Charlotte Hornets issued a joint statement Thursday expressing doubt that possible changes to a North Carolina law that limits protections for LGBT people would go far enough and saying they "do not endorse" the current version of the bill.

"We have been engaged in dialogue with numerous groups at the city and state levels, but we do not endorse the version of the bill that we understand is currently before the legislature," the league and the Hornets said in the joint statement.

Pressure to change the law, known as House Bill 2, has come from several quarters, including NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who said earlier this month that there needed to be progress on changing the law this summer to ensure that the league keeps its 2017 All-Star Game in Charlotte.

Republican lawmakers on Thursday were mapping out the end of the session and weighing possible adjustments to House Bill 2, but there was no appetite to change the provision requiring transgender people to use restrooms corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates in schools, universities and many other public buildings.

The law also excludes sexual orientation and gender identity from statewide anti-discrimination protections.

"We remain committed to our guiding principles of inclusion, mutual respect and equal protections for all," the statement said. "We continue to believe that constructive engagement with all sides is the right path forward."

The league and the Hornets said "no new decision" has been made regarding the 2017 All-Star Game.
Click to expand...
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...ges-house-bill-2-north-carolina-go-far-enough
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

The Virtues of Ancient Rome
45
2K
Liljagare replied
Playstation is Hiring a New Director, HR Mergers and Acquisitions
News Platform
30
12K
Bo_Hazem replied
Charlotte to host the 2019 NBA All-Star Game following HB2 repeal
9
2K
shira replied
  • Locked
NC Gov: Charlotte, repeal your Pro-LGBT ordiance and we'll see about HB2
2
60
8K
Randolph Freelander replied
  • Locked
NBA pulls 2017 All-Star Game out of Charlotte due to LGBT laws
2 3 4
174
14K
Monocle replied
Top Bottom