NCAA Moves Seven Championships Out of North Carolina

It was just a few weeks ago the NBA announced they were moving their All-Star Weekend from Charlotte to New Orleans because of the state's controversial HB2 law.

Now the NCAA is following suit.

The organization's Board of Governors Monday evening issued a statement saying the NCAA would relocate seven different events that were scheduled to be held in the state of North Carolina during the 2016-17 athletic year, including the first and second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, scheduled for next March.

In its statement, the NCAA cited the law that "invalidated any local law that treats sexual orientation as a protected class or has a purpose to prevent discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender individuals."

The NCAA also pointed out that the law provides legal protection for government officials to refuse services to the LGBT community.

The other events to be moved are:

• Division I women's soccer championship College Cup, slated for Cary, N.C., Dec. 2 and 4.

• Division III men's and women's soccer championship in Greensboro, Dec. 2-3.

• Division I women's golf championship regional in Greenville, May 8-10.

• Division III men's and women's tennis championship in Cary, May 22-27.

• Division I women's lacrosse championship in Cary, May 26 and 28.

• Division II baseball championship in Cary, May 27-June 3.

Five states:  New York, Connecticut, Minnesota, Washington and Vermont all have issued state-sponsored bans on travel to North Carolina.  This includes all public colleges in those states.

The Atlantic Coast Conference, which has a contract to hold its basketball tournament in the state, is expected to have discussions on the issue soon.