Emmert: NCAA will decide next week whether to return to NC

(AP) — NCAA leaders need a few days to digest the new law that will replace North Carolina's so-called "bathroom bill" before deciding whether to bring March Madness and other championship sporting events back to the Tar Heel state.

The law had required transgender people to use public bathrooms that correspond to the sex on their birth certificate.

The law prompted the NCAA, NBA, Atlantic Coast Conference and other businesses and popular music acts like Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam to pull out of North Carolina.

Gay and transgender rights activists complained that the measure still denies them protection from discrimination, and they are demanding nothing less than full repeal.

In response to HB2, the NCAA relocated seven of its sanctioned championship events out of North Carolina over the last year, including first-round games of this men's basketball tournament being moved from Greensboro to Greenville, South Carolina.

Emmert said the NCAA's board of directors — the association's ultimate ruling body composed of mostly university presidents — will meet over the next several days with legal analysts.

"The recently passed legislation allows the opportunity to reopen the discussion with the ACC Council of Presidents regarding neutral site conference championships being held in the state of North Carolina," Swofford said.