Ten years ago, House Bill 2 — the "bathroom bill" — became law, setting off years of political and economic shifts in North Carolina.

Why it matters: The fallout from the now-repealed measure was marked by widespread corporate pressure and boycotts.

• HB2, which rankled the power balance between North Carolina's GOP-controlled state legislature and a large Democratic-run city, was also a blueprint for modern culture fights.

Flashback: The measure drew a swift corporate and cultural response, with business leaders and entire communities condemning it as discriminatory. Major events were pulled from North Carolina.

• All told, the bathroom bill is estimated to have cost North Carolina $3.76 billion in lost business over 12 years, the AP reported. HB2 was repealed in 2017.

The big picture: In the years since, transgender rights have emerged as a major social issue in politics, Chris Cooper, a political science professor at Western Carolina University, tells Axios.

• "HB2 is what made transgender rights a salient issue," Cooper says, but adds that the nature of the bills emerging now has changed.
• It's no longer just about transgender rights and bathrooms, but narrower issues such as transgender athletes participating in organized sports, as well as medical care for transgender minors.
• More than half of states have passed laws or policies limiting youth access to gender-affirming care, per KFF. Compared with HB2, the corporate response to such measures is considerably more muted, Cooper noted.

What we're watching: President Trump is currently pushing legislation aimed largely at restricting voting rights, but the measure also would ban transgender athletes from women's sports and restrict gender-affirming care for minors.

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💼 See who's hiring around the city.

1. Office Operations & Executive Assistant at Gaston Community Foundation.
2. Accounting Manager at Charlotte Preparatory School.
3. Fire Captain at Town of Matthews.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a job.

When 19,565 people gathered at Spectrum Center Thursday night, they were part of history, setting a new Charlotte Hornets record for the number of sellouts at Spectrum Center. The crowd also witnessed team legend Dell Curry's jersey retirement.

Why it matters: With fewer than 10 regular-season home games, Hornets leadership expects it will be a tough ticket to get.

By the numbers: The Hornets' new record is 18 sellouts at Spectrum Center. Their last seven home games have been sellouts, which is also a new record (the previous records for both metrics were set during the 2022-2023 season).

• The Hornets have seen a 7% increase in attendance compared to last season (roughly 2,000 more people per game). They are averaging more than 18,400 fans per game through 33 home games.

Between the lines: Hornets ticket sales success started before the team started playing winning basketball, Hornets Sports & Entertainment chief business and revenue officer Mike Behan tells Axios. Reopening Spectrum Center in October after the second phase of a $245 million facelift helped.

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✈️ Etihad's new nonstop service from CLT to Abu Dhabi launched on Friday despite the war in Iran. (Axios)

⚽️ Carolina Ascent is on a four-game winning streak after Sunday's 2-0 road win vs. Brooklyn FC. (Axios)

🎥 Reneé Rapp, a Huntersville native who attended Northwest School of the Arts, will join the cast of "The Morning Show" on AppleTV. (Instagram)

⚽️ Charlotte FC scored a club record six goals in Saturday night's 6-1 win vs. New York Red Bulls. (Axios)

Duke is sending both its men's and women's basketball teams to the Sweet 16. The UNC women's team will compete in the next round as well.

Catch up quick: Duke is the only men's team from North Carolina still standing after this weekend's games. They beat TCU 81-58 to advance to the Sweet 16.

🐾 High Point, the Cinderella team that shocked the nation in the first round, lost to Arkansas 94-88 in the second round.

🦁 Queens made its NCAA Tournament debut, but was blown out in the first round against Purdue, 104-71.

What's next: The Duke men's team will face No. 5 St. John's in Washington, D.C., on March 27. The Duke women will take on No. 2 LSU on March 27 in Sacramento, California. Game times are TBA.

• The Tar Heel women's team will play March 27 in Fort Worth, Texas, against the winner of tonight's UConn vs. Syracuse game.

Full bracket

Whether you love puzzles, basketball or want to hear from local leaders, here are five things to add to your schedule this week.

🎤 Monday: Hear from Manolo Betancur, owner of Manolo's Bakery, during The Charlotte Optimist's Storytellers gathering at Free Range Brewing. | $13.82 | 6pm | Details

🏀 Tuesday: Cheer on the Charlotte Hornets as they take on the Sacramento Kings. | $25+ | 7pm | Details

🧩 Wednesday: Head to Vaulted Oak Brewing to test your speedy puzzle-building skills during Puzzle & Pints. | $10+ | 7pm | Details

👟 Thursday: Celebrate sneaker culture and fashion with Maximum Air at Blume Studios. | Free | 4pm | Details

⚽️ Friday: Catch the Charlotte Independence vs. Spokane Velocity FC at American Legion Memorial Stadium. | $10+ | 7:30pm | Details

Major League Soccer has rolled out plans for a mini-season in early 2027 as it makes a major calendar change that will align it with much of the rest of the world.

Why it matters: The long-awaited scheduling change will make the league more competitive during the summer transfer window, something MLS executives, including Charlotte FC general manager Zoran Krneta, eagerly await.

What they're saying: "This is where you get the best deals, the best bargains, the best players, free agents," Krneta told reporters recently.

Designated a "sprint season," MLS' regular season will run from February until April. Each team will play 14 intraconference regular-season games: seven on the road and seven at home.

• The top eight teams from each conference will qualify for the playoffs. The shortened season wraps up with the 2027 MLS Cup in May.

What's next: The league's new summer-to-spring season calendar kicks off in July 2027 and culminates in the MLS Cup in May 2028.

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