Dave Zirin, Sports Editor for the Nation and host of “Edge of Sports Radio” on Sirius/XM, argued the NCAA should move the Final Four from Indiana over the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act on Monday’s “MSNBC Live.”
“The NCAA, if they wanted to, could make a statement that they were willing to sacrifice millions of dollars — and let’s be clear, the NCAA gets 90% of its annual operating budget just from the Final Four games alone. But they could announce that they’re moving the games from Indianapolis, and put them 100 miles away at the University of Cincinnati, just one example. That would lessen the impact on fans traveling to the event, and it would also be one hell of a political statement by the NCAA. Now, let’s give the NCAA a lot of credit as a sports organization for making any kind of statement against the law… but if the NCAA is serious about what their president, Mark Emmert said in that release where he spoke about actual concerns for student athletes, actual concerns for the safety of NCAA employees, one would think he would see this as a moment of actual urgency, like, for example, the State of Connecticut is showcasing urgency in their opposition to what’s happening in Indiana.”
Zirin added, “I should say this is the first time in quite some time I can say that I agree with Charles Barkley on just about anything. But Charles Barkley not only said he was against this law, he also called for the Final Four to be moved. It’s not just me saying this on your show.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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