ACC commissioner John Swofford declined to take a public stand on North Carolina's controversial HB2 bill when asked about it on a state-wide radio show Wednesday.
"We don't want to damage our league with any premature decisions," Swofford reportedly said on The David Glenn Show when asked if his league might move championship events from North Carolina if the bill isn't amended or eradicated. "We'll just see how it plays out."
Swofford's comments are surely disappointing to those pushing for the North Carolina law that limits protections for LGBT individuals to be changed, if only because they fly in direct contrast to the words of NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who first threatened to move the 2017 NBA All-Star Game from Charlotte, and then did. Similarly, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Ringo Starr and many others have canceled concerts in North Carolina this year because of HB2. These decisions -- especially the moving of the NBA All-Star Game -- have cost North Carolina in excess of $100 million, according to estimates.
Meantime, the NCAA is considering moving championship events from North Carolina unless HB2 is changed -- proof being that the governing body asked all cities interested in hosting future events to submit a completed questionnaire two weeks ago detailing how they'll protect athletes and fans from discrimination.
The questionnaire was clearly aimed at HB2.
The NCAA announced its existence the day after the NBA moved the All-Star Game.
(For what it's worth, 56 percent of college basketball coaches polled this month told CBS Sports they want the NCAA to refuse to host NCAA Tournament games in North Carolina until HB2 is amended or eradicated.)
Regardless, Swofford apparently isn't willing to stand against the law the way so many others in positions of power have already done. He basically punted on the topic even though the 2019 and 2020 ACC Tournaments are already scheduled to be in Charlotte and Greensboro.
