NCAA President Mark Emmert says it is up to the Atlantic Coast Conference to decide whether it wants to follow the association’s lead and pull events out of North Carolina because of a state law that limits anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people.
In an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press, Emmert said the association expects to take a financial hit for moving seven championship events and tournament games out of the state on short notice, but how much is unknown.
New locations have yet to be identified, he said, but Emmert said his staff is working aggressively to find sites for some events scheduled for as soon as December. The biggest of the events that will be relocated is first-round men’s basketball tournament games scheduled for Greensboro in March.
The ACC is also on the clock to make its decision about its football championship game, set to be played in Charlotte on Dec. 3.
The ACC’s council of presidents was set to hold a previously scheduled meeting starting Tuesday night in Clemson, South Carolina, with the law expected to be discussed Wednesday.
The football championship game, held in Charlotte since 2010, is the last marquee college sporting event left in North Carolina during the 2016-17 season. While ACC Commissioner John Swofford it would be “premature” to make any decisions about holding events in North Carolina for now, he also issued a clear statement Monday night against the law.
“On a personal note, it’s time for this bill to be repealed as it’s counter to basic human rights,” said Swofford, whose league office is located in North Carolina.
