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ACC Commissioner John Swofford on HB2: ‘It’s time for this bill to be repealed’

John Swofford

Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner John Swofford speaks to the media during the ACC Media Day in Greensboro, N.C., Sunday, July 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

AP

The NCAA announced on Monday night that it would be removing all championship events slated to be held in the state of North Carolina due to the controversial and discriminatory HB2 law.

This could end up having a major impact on the decision of lawmakers to keep the law on the books in its current form due to the popularity of college basketball in the state.

The next step in this equation, however, is the ACC.

The conference, to date, has not taken a stand on HB2, but late on Monday night, commissioner John Swofford released the following statement.

“The decision by the NCAA Board of Governors to relocate all current, and not award any future, NCAA Championship sites in the state of North Carolina continues to build upon the negative impact this bill has already had on the state,” Swofford said. “HB2 was previously scheduled to be thoroughly discussed at this week’s ACC Council of Presidents meeting, so it would be premature to make any decisions or announcements regarding ACC Championships until our membership is able to discuss. The league’s longstanding commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion will continue to be a central theme to our discussions.”

So it will be discussed this week.

https://audioboom.com/boos/5045908-college-basketball-s-impact-on-hb2-graduate-transfers-trade-deadline

And then there is Swofford’s parting shot: “On a personal note, it’s time for this bill to be repealed as it’s counter to basic human rights.”

In summation, the ACC Council of Presidents will be discussing the HB2 law at meetings this week and the commissioner has released a statement calling for the bill to be repealed.

That doesn’t sound like it’s good for the future of ACC tournaments being held in the state. Currently, the 2017 and 2018 ACC tournaments are scheduled to be played in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center while the 2019 (Charlotte) and 2020 (Greensboro) tournaments are to be held in North Carolina.