Asheville has been holding its breath to see whether the Southern Conference will follow the lead of the NCAA and ACC to move collegiate championship events out of North Carolina.
The NCAA and ACC have cited HB 2 — a state law passed in March that requires (among other provisions) people to use the bathroom and locker room facilities that correspond with the sex listed on their birth certificate rather than their gender identity — as the motivation for moving 2017 championship tournaments out of the Tarheel State. The Obama Administration has filed a federal lawsuit against the state over the legislation, alleging that it violates federal education rules and civil rights protections.
Asheville has hosted the SoCon basketball championships since 2012. The 2017 tournament is scheduled to run March 2-6. Both the men’s and women’s championship series are slated to be held in Asheville.
On the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 22, Demp Bradford, Executive Director, Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission, released a statement indicating the Southern Conference has not yet reached a decision:
We have been notified by the Southern Conference that they need to discuss championships in the state of North Carolina further. While we are anxious to move forward with the planning of the basketball championships, we are respectful of their process and continue to serve as a resource for anything they may need.
Our community leaders had an incredible meeting with the SoCon staff on Tuesday and I am proud to say that our community is firmly behind the tournament staying in Asheville.
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