By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Dallas Mavericks had stopped playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” before their games at American Airlines Center. Team owner Mark Cuban confirmed to The Athletic that he decided to omit the national anthem of the United States.
The aftermath included an official statement issued by Chief Communications Officer, Mike Bass. “With NBA teams now in the process of welcoming fans back into their arenas, all teams will play the national anthem in keeping with longstanding league policy,” he noted via the press release.
The Mavericks did not play the anthem in their 11 home games so far. However, they will comply with NBA’s policy. Cuban in the following statement explained his initial request to cease playing the national anthem.
“We respect and always have respected the passion people have for the anthem and our country. But we also loudly hear the voices of those who feel that the anthem does not represent them. We feel that their voices need to be respected and heard, because they have not been.
Going forward, our hope is that people will take the same passion they have for this issue and apply the same amount of energy to listen to those who feel differently from them. Only then we can move forward and have courageous conversations that move this country forward and find what unites us.
LISTEN. LEARN. UNITE.”
On Monday, the Dallas organization hosted 1,500 vaccinated essential workers shaping up the first attendance for the ongoing 2020-21 season. The coronavirus restrictions still prevent fans from entering arenas at the traditional rate.
The NBA has a rule about players and coaches standing for the national anthems before games but presented an apparently relaxed approach to players kneeling from the resumption of the 2019-20 season and into the 2020-21 season.
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