Hornets co-owner rips NBA, city council for taking All-Star Game from Charlotte
Hornets chairman Michael Jordan may have accepted the NBA's decision to pull the 2017 NBA All-Star Game from Charlotte, but co-owner Felix Sabates is an entirely different story.
Jordan released a statement expressing his disappointment after the league elected to remove the festivities from Charlotte due to the state's controversial HB2 law aimed at the LGBTQ community, but he also expressed optimism that the All-Star Game will come to Buzz City in 2019, after it's hosted by Los Angeles in 2018.
Sabates, on the other hand, isn't nearly as understanding, as he feels league officials and the city council are doing his ownership group and franchise a major disservice.
"Shame on those responsible for such a short-sighted decision to take the NBA (All-Star Game) away from Charlotte I always thought this was (a) country that ALL peoples not just a few can determine our future," Sabates wrote in an email response to COO and team president Fred Whitfield, which was obtained by The Charlotte Observer.
Related - Report: Pulling All-Star Game was NBA decision, not owner vote
The email continued:
"Our Mayor opened a can of worms, who knows why? Our city council is the one to blame for our losing the NBA All Star game, none of this would have happened if not for a very few minority forcing our supposed city leaders into creating a problem that never really existed, there will always be another election, they better pray a very few can get them re-elected. What is wrong with a person using a bathroom provided for the sex (they) were born with, if you want to change your gender so be it, we are a free county, but don't force 8 years old children to be exposed to having to share bathroom facilities with people that don't share the organs they were Bourne (sic) with, this is plain wrong, this could cause irreparable damages to a children's that don't understand why they have to see what God did not mean for them to witness, we have some very confused business as well as political humans that frankly have made this a political issue rather then (sic) moral issues, SHAME ON THEM."
The bill in question requires transgender people to use the bathroom of the sex they were born with instead of the one with which they identify.
"We are particularly mindful of the impact of this decision on our fans in North Carolina, who are among the most passionate in our league," the NBA said in a statement. "It is also important to stress that the City of Charlotte and the Hornets organization have sought to provide an inclusive environment and that the Hornets will continue to ensure that all patrons - including members of the LGBT community - feel welcome while attending games and events in their arena."