The NFL’s owners head to Charlotte this week for quarterly meetings, undeterred by the ongoing controversy regarding House Bill 2.
The law that requires people in governmental facilities to use bathrooms matching the gender on their birth certificates has prompted multiple musical acts to boycott North Carolina. It has not caused the NFL to change the location of the May meeting.
When owners and/or other representatives of each team gather at the Ballantyne Hotel on Tuesday, chances are that they’ll be asked about the situation. The responses will show whether and to what extent the NFL has issued talking points to the team -- and whether and to what extent the teams are complying with them.
Giants co-owner John Mara, one of the most influential figures in the league, has said that he personally finds the law to be offensive, but he questioned the impact of changing the location of the meeting. There should be no question; it would have been a big deal, and it would have created major news.
But it also would have potentially been viewed as a sign of disrespect toward Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, who is still smarting from the colossal failure of his effort to keep the Rams out of L.A.
Ultimately, the desire not to make matters worse with Richardson could have been the reason for the league’s decision to stay put. The inevitable quotes that will emerge from Charlotte this will shed plenty of light on the topic.