The Dallas Mavericks grew to become the primary NBA team, and maybe the primary staff in all of North American skilled sports activities, to stop taking part in the nationwide anthem earlier than video games this season, in line with The Athletic’s Tim Cato. The Mavericks didn’t touch upon the choice however confirmed to Cato that they haven’t performed the nationwide anthem previous to any residence video games this season. The Mavericks have hosted 12 regular-season video games to this point this season together with a single preseason game.
In keeping with Cato, there was no inside announcement concerning the determination. Workforce workers solely discovered after they realized it for themselves. The NBA‘s different 29 groups have discovered methods to play the anthem with out having a singer within the constructing, largely by utilizing recordings, however the league itself has permitted the selection to not play it in any respect. “Below the distinctive circumstances of this season, groups are permitted to run their pregame operations as they see match,” a league spokesman instructed The Athletic.
League guidelines state that gamers should stand for the nationwide anthem, however these guidelines haven’t been strictly enforced in recent times. Gamers on each staff within the Orlando bubble knelt for the anthem when the season resumed final summer season. Mavericks proprietor Mark Cuban supported the choice, and the league as a complete used the Disney bubble to advertise the social justice messaging such protests impressed.
The Mavericks are the primary main North American skilled sports activities staff recognized to cease taking part in the anthem, although MLS didn’t use it for its Orlando match final summer season. When it returned to residence stadiums, although, it resumed the follow. The Mavericks haven’t. They’ve provided no touch upon their long-term plans, however in the interim, the anthem is not going to be performed at Mavericks video games in Dallas.
