Having warned the state of North Carolina at the Final Four that it risked losing NCAA events over House Bill 2, the NCAA showed Monday night just how serious it was.
Instead of skipping North Carolina in the future, the NCAA pulled seven different championships from North Carolina immediately, including the men's basketball tournament first and second rounds in Greensboro, N.C., in March, where both Duke and North Carolina stood a very good chance of staying home.
Cary, N.C., lost four different events, including the Women's College Cup in December, its first Division I women's lacrosse championship in May, the Division II baseball tournament it has hosted since 2009 in May and June and the Division III men's and women's championships in May.
Greensboro, N.C., also lost the Division III men's and women's soccer championships in December, while Greenville, N.C., lost a Division I women's golf regional in May.
In June, the NBA moved the 2017 NBA All-Star Game from Charlotte over HB2, which requires transgender people to use public restrooms that match the gender on their birth certificate and removes other protections against LGBT discrimination.
"Fairness is about more than the opportunity to participate in college sports, or even compete for championships," NCAA president Mark Emmert said. "We believe in providing a safe and respectful environment at our events and are committed to providing the best experience possible for college athletes, fans and everyone taking part in our championships."
The NCAA is currently selecting sites for championships from 2019-22, although Emmert said those decisions, expected in December, would be pushed back indefinitely.
