School leaders react to ACC’s decision to move events out of state

N.C. State chancellor Randy Woodson joined North Carolina chancellor Carol Folt on Wednesday in supporting the ACC’s decision to move neutral-site championship events out of North Carolina in the 2016-17 school year because of opposition to House Bill 2.

The ACC’s decision came two days after the NCAA announced it was moving championship events from the state because of HB2, which limits anti-discriminatory protections for the LGBT community and dictates that on state property people use the bathroom of the gender specified on their birth certificate.

The ACC announcement was made after the league’s presidents and chancellors met Tuesday and Wednesday in Clemson, S.C.

In a joint statement, Folt and Woodson said:

“We appreciate the Council of Presidents’ reaffirmation of the ACC’s strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, as well as the decision to keep ACC championship contests on our campuses. However, we regret today’s decision will negatively affect many North Carolinians, especially in the affected host communities.

“UNC- Chapel Hill and N.C. State remain steadfast in our commitment to welcoming and supporting all people. Our policies protect students, faculty and staff from discrimination, regardless of age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status. As such, we remain dedicated to providing and promoting equal opportunity and non- discrimination to everyone who participates in athletic events on our campuses.”

The ACC’s decision will cause the 2016 ACC Championship Football Game to be moved out of Charlotte. The 2017 ACC Women’s Basketball Championship in Greensboro and the 2017 ACC Baseball Championship at Durham Bulls Athletic Park must find new sites.

That will cost the host communities millions of dollars while North Carolina continues to grapple with a law, passed in March and signed by Gov. Pat McCrory, that has become a major issue in this year’s political elections.

ACC championships scheduled for on-campus sites in the state, such as the ACC wrestling championship at N.C. State’s Reynolds Coliseum, will be held, the ACC announced. But the ACC swimming and diving championship, scheduled 2017-2022 for the Greensboro Aquatic Center, will not be held in Greensboro in 2017.

The Belk Bowl, to be played Dec. 29 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, is affiliated with the ACC but the game will not be moved, said bowl director Will Webb.

Webb also is executive director of the Charlotte Sports Foundation, which runs the ACC football title game. Of Wednesday’s ACC announcement, he said: “We’re disappointed but we respect the decision.”

UNC will host the 2017 ACC Softball Championship. UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham on Wednesday praised the ACC’s decision to keep the on-campus championships at those sites in 2016-17.

“However, we are disappointed that 10 ACC neutral-site events will be moved out of state because of the negative effects those decisions have on student-athletes, fans and numerous host communities,” Cunningham said in a statement. “We are hopeful that these issues are resolved quickly and the championship events are able to return to our state.”

N.C. State athletic director Debbie Yow, like Cunningham, was appreciative of the ACC not uprooting the planned on-campus events, saying, “We will continue to welcome the opportunity to host ACC and NCAA championships in a safe, healthy and non-discriminatory environment.”

Duke athletic director Kevin White had no comment Wednesday but has spoken out in opposition to HB2, issuing a statement this week saying, “Our position has been clear on this matter, which is that this legislation is discriminatory, troubling and embarrassing.”

The ACC has held its men’s and women’s golf championships on golf courses owned by Raleigh’s John McConnell and McConnell Golf. The 2017 men’s event at Old North State Club at New London and the 2017 women’s championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro will be shifted to new sites.

“We certainly are disappointed that the regular venues for the men and women’s golf championships are being moved from Old North Club and Sedgefield respectively,” McConnell said Wednesday. “McConnell Golf fully supports the ACC’s decision as both organizations are against discrimination in any form. Hopefully, we can offer the ACC venues from our other properties in South Carolina and Tennessee to conduct these championships in 2017.

This story was originally published September 14, 2016 at 4:53 PM with the headline "School leaders react to ACC’s decision to move events out of state."