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NBA To Relocate ’17 All-Star Game From Charlotte Because of HB2 Law

The National Basketball Association announced on Thursday that it was relocating the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte because of the HB2 law. Read the announcement and see responses from conservatives and liberals, alike.

NBA’s Announcement of All-Star Game Relocation

“The NBA has decided to relocate the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte with the hope of rescheduling for 2019.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver

“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.

images“Our week-long schedule of All-Star events and activities is intended to be a global celebration of basketball, our league, and the values for which we stand, and to bring together all members of the NBA community — current and former players, league and team officials, business partners, and fans. While we recognize that the NBA cannot choose the law in every city, state, and country in which we do business, we do not believe we can successfully host our All-Star festivities in Charlotte in the climate created by HB2.

“We are particularly mindful of the impact of this decision on our fans in North Carolina, who are among the most passionate in our league. It is also important to stress that the City of Charlotte and the Hornets organization have sought to provide an inclusive environment and that the Hornets will continue to ensure that all patrons — including members of the LGBT community — feel welcome while attending games and events in their arena.

“We look forward to re-starting plans for our All-Star festivities in Charlotte for 2019 provided there is an appropriate resolution to this matter. The NBA will make an announcement on the new location of the 2017 NBA All-Star Game in the coming weeks.”


Civitas Responds to Reports NBA Will Pull All-Star Game Out of NC

CIVITAS-flame-cutoutReports are circulating that the NBA has made the decision to pull the NBA All-Star game from Charlotte, NC, reportedly due to the league’s disapproval of North Carolina’s HB 2 law.

Civitas President Francis De Luca said, “If these reports are indeed true, then the NBA has chosen social activism as opposed to what is in the best interests of their business. This is a perfect example of attempted corporate bullying, which will not hurt North Carolina. Thanks to conservative leadership in our state, North Carolina has attracted more business and jobs than ever before, and our economy continues to strengthen whether the NBA agrees with our laws or not. The thought that one basketball game not being played here will have a negative impact on North Carolina’s over half-trillion dollar economy is laughable.”


McCrory Campaign Slams NBA’s Political Move 

Gov. McCrory
Gov. McCrory

After the NBA announced it will move the NBA All-Star Game out of North Carolina to inflict economic damage on the state to benefit Democrats, the McCrory campaign released the following statement:

“It is no surprise that the NBA has chosen to politically target North Carolina during an election year since Doug Sosnick, Bill Clinton’s former White House Political Director, serves as the NBA’s chief political advisor. While it would be front-page news if Karl Rove were advising an organization on how to inflict economic damage on a state to benefit the Republican’s election prospects, this is standard operating procedure for the Clintons, who get away with it thanks to their friends in the media.”

According to Sports Business Daily, “The NBA is ‘one of several private sector clients who pay Sosnik handsomely for his crisis-management experience in politics.’ He has ‘advised the NBA for about 10 years.'”


Sen. Blue: North Carolina Continues to Pay the Price for HB 2

Blue
Blue

House Bill 2 has delivered another major blow to North Carolina’s economy this week with the announcement that the NBA will move the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte.

The City of Charlotte estimates on its website the economic impact of the All Stars Game in the Queen City would be around $100 million. New Orleans generated $106.1 million in economic impact and $60.4 million in direct spending in 2014.

“This is a devastating blow to our state,” Senate Democratic Leader Dan Blue said, “one that will take North Carolina years to recover from economically – it will take even longer to repair our reputation.”

Last week NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said “We’ve been, I think, crystal clear a change in the law is necessary for us to play in the kind of environment that we think is appropriate for a celebratory NBA event.”

Blue echoed that sentiment Thursday. “This discriminatory and unethical law puts us at odds with the rest of the country and the rest of the world. It is hurting our economy, our global reputation and, most importantly, it is hurting the people of this state. It is not representative of our values of equality and inclusion that we hold dear as North Carolinians. For Republicans to have left HB 2 on the books at the end of the short session shows us that they truly do not have the people’s best interests at heart – and we continue to pay the price for the problems they created.”