The National Football League has said today that it will not change plans for Super Bowl LI, which is set to be held in Houston. Some have called for the league to move the game out of Houston after voters repealed an ordinance that banned discrimination based on sexual orientation.
On Tuesday, 61 percent of voters voted to repeal the law, also known as HERO. A successful campaign against the law argued that it would allow men to use women’s public restrooms and religious groups were also against the measure. The law did ban discrimination by businesses based on other characteristics, including race, color, ethnicity, age, religion and disability.
Despite calls for the Super Bowl to be taken away from Houston, including a Change.org petition with over 2,000 signatures, the NFL will not change its plans.
“This will not affect our plans for Super Bowl LI in 2017,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told Pro Football Talk. “We will work closely with the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee to make sure all fans feel welcomed at our events. Our policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness, and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other improper standard.”
The NFL faced a similar situation last year when Arizona passed a law that critics said allowed discrimination based on sexual orientation. However, Super Bowl XLIX was still played in Phoenix.