Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal today "vetoed the 'religious liberty' bill" that has "triggered a wave of criticism from gay rights groups and business leaders," according to Greg Bluestein of the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. Execs from companies such as Disney, Apple, Time Warner, Intel and Salesforce "called on the governor to veto the bill." The NFL also "warned it could risk Atlanta's bid for the Super Bowl and the NCAA hinted it could influence the state's ability to host championship games." Deal has been "besieged by all sides over the controversial measure, and his office has received thousands of emails and hundreds of calls on the debate." The tension was "amplified by a steady stream of corporate titans who urged him to veto the bill -- and threatened to pull investments from Georgia if it became law." Deal had "ample cover" from the bill's critics (AJC.com, 3/28).
STUDY HALL: NCAA President Mark Emmert said North Carolina's new law eliminating protections for LGBT individuals is "a very, very important issue" that "everybody in the membership is tracking very closely." Emmert, who on Friday spoke with North Carolina Gov. Pat McCory, said, "We’ve made clear to all involved ... that we’re going to be monitoring the developments that go on there. That we make site selection decisions, wherever we are, one of the criterion that’s considered in all of those decisions has to be the kind of experience the student-athletes, fan base, all those attending are going to have. We’re not doing anything more than that at this moment." Asked whether the NCAA would declare that it is pulling its events out of the state, Emmert said, "We’re not doing that now. But those decisions will be made by the individual sports committees and the individual sport committees will pay very close attention to it as we move forward." Emmert added of his conversation with McCrory, "He called me and he wanted to simply explain their views and I explained ours as well. Made sure he understood that we were in a watch-and-monitor mode, but that again whether it’s North Carolina or any other state that the ability to hold championships and events requires that we be able to do so in a way that our fan base and athletes aren’t going to be discriminated against regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. And he understands that and I think I understand their view" (USA TODAY, 3/28).
STAR SEARCH: The Hornets on Friday said that the team "opposes discrimination in any form, and will work 'to ensure that all fans, players and employees feel welcome while at work or attending NBA games and events at Time Warner Cable Arena.'" The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority said that since the bill's passage, it has "received 'several concerns' from customers and visitors, including people associated with the All-Star game" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/26). ESPN's Rachel Nichols noted the NBA is "hardly the only company that chimed in" regarding the North Carolina bill, but the league's voice "may be the one that counts." The NCAA last year "helped pressure the Indiana state legislature into dropping an anti-gay law there." Nichols: "There’s nothing like the threat of losing a sporting event that moves politicians to reconsider. While I know moving an All-Star Game on relatively short notice would be a huge logistical challenge, I would strongly urge the NBA to follow through on this if this bill isn’t scrapped." She added, "Organizations with power have an obligation to use that power. ... The NBA has been a leader in breaking barriers when it comes to race and gender, and yes, sexuality” (“The Jump,” ESPN2, 3/25). In Toronto, Doug Smith wrote he was "very pleased, and not the least bit surprised, that the league took a bold step of denouncing an exclusionary law passed in North Carolina and I would presume a veiled threat about next year’s all-star game in Charlotte is real and makes people sit up and fix a wrong." Smith: "I don’t think the NBA issues idle threats, I see this as a legitimate shot across the bow to get the state leaders to rethink their rash -- and to me dead wrong -- move or else suffer consequences." The NBA has "emerged a strong force and proponent in the need for inclusion and acceptance" (TORONTO STAR, 3/26).
