The College World Series will return to Omaha, Neb., in mid-June to crown the NCAA Div. I baseball champion. The event has been held in Omaha every year since 1950.
Now lawmakers in Nebraska are considering a "bathroom bill" that would force transgender people to use the public facilities consistent with their sex at birth, not their gender. The Omaha World-Herald is looking into whether a new law similar to the one recently passed in North Carolina would cost the state the right to host the College World Series.
At least one Nebraska lawmaker seems ready to lose every NCAA sporting event as long as it means they get to discriminate against trans people.
"Economic terrorism is not a reason to make laws," Sen. Bill Kinter told the Omaha World-Herald. "The NCAA is a bunch of left-wing loonies."
Those "left-wing loonies" have also demonstrated no will to actually hold tournament hosts accountable for discrimination. The NCAA refused to move the Men's Final Four out of Houston despite that city's passing of a pro-discrimination law in late 2015. The NCAA has also made no move to switch venues of events scheduled for North Carolina, where the state is forcing schools and venues to discriminate.
Currently Nebraska has no statewide discrimination protection for LGBT people, though the city of Omaha does have protections.
Given the College World Series contract to stay in Omaha until 2035, and the NCAA's complete lack of fortitude on the issue of protecting LGBT student-athletes from discrimination in North Carolina, there's really no reason for Kinter to be afraid of losing the College World Series anytime soon.
