NBA To Pull 2017 All-Star Game Out Of N. Carolina
SACRAMENTO (KHTK1140) - The latest on the NBA's reported move to pull the 2017 All-Star Game from North Carolina:
2:40 p.m.
The NBA has officially decided to pull next season's All-Star Game from North Carolina.
A statement by the league cites the NBA's battle against North Carolina's controversial "bathroom law" as the reason for the move:
"Since March, when North Carolina enacted HB2 and the issue of legal protections for the LGBT community in Charlotte became prominent, the NBA and the Charlotte Hornets have been working diligently to foster constructive dialogue and try to effect positive change. We have been guided in these discussions by the long-standing core values of our league. These include not only diversity, inclusion, fairness and respect for others but also the willingness to listen and consider opposing points of view."
READ: The Full Statement From The NBA On Moving The 2017 All-Star Game
The Sacramento Kings released their own statement applauding the league's decision.
"The NBA has long stood for inclusion and respect, and the Sacramento Kings are proud to be a part of that legacy," said Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé in the statement. "On and off the court we have a diverse team representing different countries, races, religions, ages and sexual orientations."
We support Commissioner Silver and are proud of @NBA's stand for inclusion and respect. https://t.co/aYI86zRoos
— Vivek Ranadivé (@Vivek) July 21, 2016
The NBA notes that they hope to restart plans for an All-Star Game in North Carolina in 2019, as long as the bathroom law issue is resolved.
It is uncelar which city the 2017 All-Star Game will move to.
11:44 a.m.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, the 2017 NBA All-Star game will be changing hosts due to North Carolina's recent "Bathroom Law" - a law that would violate the NBA's anti-discrimination policy.
The Charlotte Hornets have been preparing for hosting the All-Star weekend festivities for months, but the city will most likely have to hand off the host responsibilities to New Orleans, who were next in line. The Pelicans hosted in 2008 and 2014 back when they were the New Orleans Hornets.
According to the report, other teams in the league are still vying for a chance to host. The NBA is expected to make an official announcement sometime this week, according to Wojnarowski's league source.
The controversial law in question is the Public Facilites Privacy & Securities Act, or HB2, of North Carolina. It is considered by many to be the most anti-LGBT law in the United States, while some see it as common sense. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is a part of the former.
"We, of course, have a team in Charlotte, North Carolina," Adam Silver said in a press conference in early June. "So we as a league want to make sure there is an environment where the LGBT community feels protected down in North Carolina."
The law specifically eliminates any anti-discrimination protections for the LGBT community while also making individuals use the bathroom that corresponds with the gender they were born as.