Clan-Members » anization will move events, inform and educate, but whe

This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 12 Owners Issue. Subscribe today!Colorado AvalancheOverall:?77 Title track:?39 Ownership:?92 Coaching: 69 Players:?108 Fan relations: 75 Affordability: 94 Stadium experience:?87 Bang for the buck: 32 Change from last year: -26For the second year in a row, Colorado managed to fall in all eight franchise rankings categories. Although its not quite as bad as 2015s 35-spot drop, the Avalanche are down another 26 places, and thats added up to quite a free fall. Only two years ago, Colorado was 16th overall. Ownership will have a tough time stopping this from snowballing.Whats goodDespite finishing second-to-last in the Central Division this past season, the Avalanche were just six points away from a playoff berth. Thanks to that competitive year and the teams past success, the franchise ranks fairly high in title track. The past is quickly becoming more distant, though: Colorados most recent division championship came in 2013, and the team hasnt earned a conference title since winning the Stanley Cup in the 2000-01 season. At least the Avalanche are a pretty good value, with tickets nearly $15 below the league average and a .500 record despite a late-season collapse.Whats badThe Avalanche share the Pepsi Center with the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Mammoth, a pro lacrosse team, as well as a slew of events that come to the area each year. Because of that, the arena itself, seating included, isnt particularly geared toward hockey (its ranked just 87th this year), and renovations to improve that feel arent likely. As far as ownership goes -- its ranked 92nd -- perhaps thats out of solidarity with St. Louis residents -- the Avs owner, Stan Kroenke, relocated the citys NFL franchise to Los Angeles this past offseason. His shrewd demeanor is good for business but doesnt jibe well with fans or, at times, the cities that host his teams.Whats newUnfortunately for Colorado, whats new is also whats worse -- much worse. The resignation of Patrick Roy in mid-August left the Avalanche scrambling for a coach, and they settled on Jared Bednar, who led the AHL-champion Lake Erie Monsters to the Calder Cup the previous season. The title is nice, but putting a second-tier league coach in charge isnt an awe-inspiring move (fans reacted by dropping the Avs coaching rank 47 spots). The roster, while talented, remains unproven, and the collapse at the end of the past season is reason for a fair amount of skepticism (the players, too, are down 38 spots, all the way to 108th).Next: Calgary Flames?| Full rankings Cheap Air Max 97 Wholesale . PETERSBURG, Fla. Air Max 97 Cheap Ireland . 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The NCAA announced Monday that it would remove seven championship events from North Carolina because of HB2, the controversial law that requires people to use the public restroom that matches the sex indicated on a persons birth certificate.Fairness is about more than the opportunity to participate in college sports, or even compete for championships, NCAA president Mark Emmert said in a statement. We believe in providing a safe and respectful environment at our events and are committed to providing the best experience possible for college athletes, fans and everyone taking part in our championships.Its great that the NCAA is making a statement about how much it values inclusion not just in sport, but in society. But the question is: what does this mean for NCAA member institutions that openly discriminate against LGBTQ students on their campuses?Its absolutely fair for the NCAA to single out North Carolina; the states law is blatantly discriminatory, and the statements made by Gov. Pat McCrory after its passage (and by the North Carolina GOP following the NCAAs announcement) underscore that fact. The law is a direct attack on gay people and trans people specifically, those most vulnerable to violence and vitriol within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.But the NCAA perpetuates LGBTQ discrimination in other areas of its governance. For example, a number of the NCAA member schools have applied for and been granted Title IX exemptions -- typically religious exemptions related to the usage of campus facilities, according to the?Human Rights Campaign. In other words, religious schools are requesting (and being allowed) the right to restrict access to bathrooms, housing and sports based on gender identity. If that sounds a lot like whats happening in North Carolina, thats because it is.To be fair, the NCAA does a lot through its Office of Inclusion to address LGGBTQ equality.dddddddddddd It has a policy protecting the abilities of trans people to play at the college level, and it provides materials about how to run LGBTQ-inclusive sports programs. It has hosted webinars on intra-team dating and summits on LGBTQ identity and faith, and every year the Office of Inclusion hosts its own conference. Its not like they do nothing.Whats frustrating is that the NCAA seems to want to have its cake and eat it too. The organization will move events, inform and educate, but when it comes to holding membership institutions accountable for their own discrimination, it falls short.When asked for comment, the NCAA referred to its original statement, in which board of governors vice chairman Jay Lemons said, Our membership comprises many different types of schools -- public, private, secular, faith-based -- and we believe this action appropriately reflects the collective will of that diverse group.In July, the NBA decided to move its All-Star Game out of Charlotte because of North Carolinas law, and earlier this year, the NFL drew criticism for not moving the 2017 Super Bowl from Houston after local voters repealed an LGBTQ-inclusive human rights ordinance. Frankly, the logistics of where leagues are playing or not playing their games are getting tiring.The NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and NCAA could affect sustainable, tangible change all the way down to youth playing sports if they committed to doing so. The major sports leagues have a long way to go before theyre able to earn anything more than a golf clap of acknowledgement.Nevertheless, this step is unprecedented for the NCAA in its recognition of LGBTQ rights. It should be applauded for it. This thinking also should filter down to college and university campuses.Only time will tell. ' ' '