Bulls in Running for 2017 All-Star Game: Report

The NBA needs a new home for the 2017 All-Star Game after it was removed from Charlotte

After the NBA removed the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte, the city of New Orleans emerged quickly as a frontrunner to host the event, but another city could be making a quiet run at hosting duties.

That city is Chicago, and according to a new report, the league is considering using the United Center to host the annual game next February.

Here is what K.C. Johnson had to say about the potential move by the Bulls to host the game:

“Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and son Michael, the team’s president and chief operating officer, have stated their lack of desire to host the game at the United Center out of respect for season ticket holders, who mostly get displaced when the league takes over the venue.

But Mayor Rahm Emanuel has taken a proactive approach to landing premier sports events such as the NFL Draft, and the Reinsdorfs have a strong personal and professional relationship with Emanuel.”

The city of Chicago has also landed several other high-profile events, including Copa America soccer games, America’s Cup yachting events, and the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, which will also be held at the United Center and will be hosted by the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Bulls have not hosted an All-Star Game since the 1987-88 season, when Michael Jordan won the Slam Dunk Contest and All-Star Game MVP honors at the old Chicago Stadium.

The 2017 All-Star Game was removed from Charlotte after the league objected to North Carolina’s new laws removing legal protections from the LGBT community in the state. Commissioner Adam Silver has said that Charlotte could get the game back in 2019 if North Carolina lawmakers rescind or restructure the law, but that status is still up in the air.

Brooklyn is another potential landing spot for the relocated game, according to Johnson, and even if Chicago doesn’t get the 2017 edition, they could still be open to hosting again in the future.

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