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Dallas Mavericks PLAY national anthem before Hawks game after billionaire owner Mark Cuban forced to reverse ‘ban’
THE Dallas Mavericks played the national anthem before a game against the Hawks after billionaire owner Mark Cuban was forced to reverse his "ban."
The decision to play the anthem came after the NBA issued a statement on Wednesday saying all teams must play the Star-Spangled Banner before games.
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Earlier this week, Cuban said that the national anthem did not represent "all communities" and the Mavericks hadn't been playing it before games.
After his comments were met with much backlash, Cuban that "we probably would have ended up playing it at some point when fans came back."
NBA stadiums have recently started letting some fans in to watch games again amid the ongoing Covid pandemic.
After the NBA's announcement, Cuban released his own statement, saying, "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.
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"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."
The Mavericks played their first 10 regular-season home games without fans and Cuban said on Tuesday he made the anthem change in November.
didn't elaborate on his decision not to play the anthem, which was reported by , saying that nobody had noticed.
According to the publication, the lack of the national anthem went undetected for 13 games due to a lack of publicity and a lack of crowds.
The club had fans for the first time in Monday’s 127-122 win over Minnesota.
Dallas is allowing 1,500 vaccinated essential workers to attend games for free.
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When news of the skipped anthem first started making the rounds, NBA spokesman Tim Frank said that teams were permitted to run their pregame operations "as they see fit" due to the "unique circumstances" of the season.
However, on Wednesday, NBA Chief Communications Officer Mike Bass said otherwise.
"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," Bass said.
The Mavericks owner reportedly said "we are good with it," when asked about the association's mandate.
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was outspoken against critics of NBA players and coaches kneeling during The Star-Spangled Banner when the 2019-20 season resumed in the bubble in last summer.
The pregame national anthem is a staple of American sports at both the professional and collegiate level.
The Athletic reporter Shams Charania tweeted that sources close to Cuban said the decision "isn't because they don't love U.S.", but "because many feel anthem doesn't represent them, and they want to continue discussion of how to represent people from all communities when honoring U.S. at game."
The decision to cut the tradition has sparked outrage from users on social media, with some saying they were no longer fans and others calling for outright boycotts.
However, others rallied to support Cuban's decision, including head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans, Stan Van Gundy.
"This should happen everywhere," Gundy tweeted.
"If you think the anthem needs to be played before sporting events, then play it before every movie, concert, church service and the start of every work day at every business."
This is the that Cuban has spoken out about NBA protocol.
Back in June, Cuban said that if players on his team decided to kneel to protest , he'd "be proud of them."
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“Hopefully we’ll be adapting. Hopefully, we’ll allow players to do what’s in their heart — whether it’s holding an arm up in the air or it’s taking a knee, whatever it is.”
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Cuban continued: “I don’t think this is an issue of respect or disrespect for the [American] flag, or to the anthem, or to our country. I think this is more a reflection of our players’ commitment to this country.”
Per , "Players, coaches, and trainers are to stand and line up in a dignified posture along the sidelines or on the foul line during the playing of the National Anthem."
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban U-turns on protesting players and says he may even kneel with them during anthem
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