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Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks’ decision to suspend playback of the national anthem sparked a ton of backlash on Tuesday.
Cuban confirmed to Athletic that it was his decision to no longer play the national anthem before home games at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks haven’t played the national anthem before home games this season, and the team have no plans to play it for the foreseeable future.
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“It was my decision, and I made it in November,” Cuban told The New York Times.
NBA spokesman Tim Frank clarified the rules to The Associated Press.
“Under the unique circumstances of this season, teams are allowed to conduct their pre-game operations as they see fit,” Frank said.
The decision to drop the anthem has sparked backlash from those who disagree and those who support it on social media.
Cuban and the Mavericks did not announce the removal of the national anthem before games, but The Athletic contacted the team after realizing it had not been played until Monday’s game.
FLASHBACK: WNBA PLAYERS CALL LEAGUE TO STOP PLAYING NATIONAL ANTHEM BEFORE THE GAMES
Several of the team’s employees only noticed the anthem being removed from themselves, according to The Athletic. They also said it had not been announced or explained internally.
Over the summer, Cuban had an argument on social media with a few people above the kneeling Mavericks players for the national anthem. He tweeted “bye” to radio host Mark Davis after threatening to stop watching if players kneel while playing “The Star-Spangled Banner”.
According to The Hill, Cuban then added, “If you want to complain, complain to your boss and ask him why he doesn’t play the national anthem every day before you start working.”
This tweet has since been deleted.
Sen. Ted Cruz, of R-Texas, then moved to the middle, adding: “The NBA is telling everyone who defends the flag, who honors our cops and veterans, to ‘piss off’? In Texas nothing less ? “
Cruz and Cuban then embarked on the league’s relationship with China.
MARK CUBAN CONFIRMS MAVERICKS NO LONGER PLAY NATIONAL ANTHEM AT HOME GAMES
Cuban has supported players exercising their rights to protest the First Amendment and of them doing so during the national anthem in recent years.
WNBA players have raised the question over the summer of why the national anthem is even played before games to begin. Major League Soccer did not play the anthem on their return as there were no fans in the stands.
Mark Clague, a national anthem expert, told NPR in 2018 that “The Star-Spangled Banner” was first performed at a sporting event in Brooklyn, NY on May 15, 1862. The song matched the dedication of a new baseball field in the New York borough, he said.
“They’re hiring a band because it’s a big party,” he told NPR at the time. “When you have live music in 1862, during the Civil War, you’re going to play patriotic songs. So they play “The Star-Spangled Banner”, kind of a coincidence. It is not part of a ritual; [it’s] not played to start the game. “
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The anthem was played again during the 1918 World Series and due to crowd reaction the song remained in the Big Four North American sports.
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