The NBA has moved the 2017 All-Star game out of the city of Charlotte, North Carolina following a decision by top NBA executives to boycott the controversial HB2 bathroom bill that discriminates against transgender citizens of the state. The move as a step in the right direction by the league, a league that has come out in support of such social issues time after time again, whether it be encouraging players to speak out against them or taking progressive stances themselves. Following the decision to move the All-Star game, the NBA has drawn a stark line in the sand and they are standing by it.
But is it enough?
Moving the game is going to cost the city of Charlotte plenty. This was supposed to be a big boost for Charlotte's economy, but will now end up being a huge loss of revenue for both the city and the state, along with Charlotte missing the chance to showcase their city pride for the entire league. But there are 82 NBA games in a season. 41 of which are played at home for each team. That's still 41 times that the team will be making revenue off of games played in the city, along with the countless other money-making opportunities for the city that come by. Yes, losing the opportunity to host the 2017 All-Star game will be a big blow, but it's not crippling to Charlotte. If the NBA wants to take a bigger stand against this discriminatory bill, their best plan of attack would be to boycott the city altogether and move the Hornets out of Charlotte for the time being.
The Hornets are a mediocre franchise at best. Sure, they've had some success in the recent years, but they've still only had 10 playoff appearances in their entire history of existence. They're no Celtics or Lakers, and nobody outside of Charlotte will miss the team that dearly, which makes it a great way to encourage the city of Charlotte to reform their bathroom bill. If the NBA forces the Hornets to be moved to another city for a temporary period of time, with the promise of the Hornets' return following the bill's repeal. This would bring pressure on North Carolina to reform their discriminatory bill, and would even encourage everyday citizens to stand against this bill and lobby their Congressman to bring reform.
