On March 26, 2015, Indiana’s Governor Mike Pence signed into law a bill that would allow businesses to discriminate against members of the LGBT community under the guise of "religious freedom." This is terribly concerning news to me, not only because I used to live in Indiana, but because I have great friends that still live there.

I’m not going to stand by when my friends might face serious harm and hurt. I think that Indiana needs to be told that it must respect all persons regardless of sex, age, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation. As a football fan, I think we can send a message by calling on the NCAA and Big Ten Conference to take a stand.

Since Indianapolis is home to the NCAA’s headquarters and the Big Ten Conference Football Championship, I’m asking them to move the 2015 Football Championship Game out of the state of Indiana.

The NCAA has recently expressed concern about the legislation, highlighting how it could negatively affect student-athletes and its own employees. Its leadership stated that they’re evaluating how the bill could affect a lot of its future operations and events. I am confident that we can push the NCAA to make this happen.

Governor Pence’s decision is going to impact Indiana’s citizens’ lives in a potentially profound and destructive way. I respect people who want to express their religious freedom. However, I won’t stand for a situation that legalizes potential discrimination. Let’s send a message to Gov. Pence by urging the NCAA -- a big state employer -- and the Big Ten Conference to move the Championship Game to another state.