“We look forward to re-starting plans for our All-Star festivities in Charlotte for 2019 provided there is an appropriate resolution to this matter.”

Don Garner, the commissioner of Major League Soccer, told WSOC-TV of Charlotte on Dec. 6 that HB2 is among the chief considerations as to whether the league would add a franchisee in either Charlotte, the Triangle or both, beginning with the 2020 season.

"I believe it is quite likely that this failure to repeal HB2 will torpedo the potential MLS expansion," said Zagros Madjd-Sadjadi, an economics professor at Winston-Salem State University.

"I think we probably were likely to get an MLS expansion if the HB2 repeal had gone through as expected.

"However, MLS simply cannot afford the backlash against the league if it awarded either Raleigh or Charlotte a franchise."

Madjd-Sadjadi said it is possible that other cities try to make a play for the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets or Carolina Hurricanes because of the HB2 backlash on doing business in North Carolina. The Hurricanes have been rumored as a potential target for sale by its owner, Peter Karmanos, for reasons other than HB2.