Dallas Mavericks owner and eccentric billionaire Mark Cuban says the Dallas Mavericks will no longer play the national anthem before home games.
The team did not play the national anthem before this season, and Cuban told the NY Times “It was my decision, and I made it in November,” declining to comment further.
According to Fox News “Cuban and the Mavericks didn’t publicize the removal of the national anthem prior to games, but The Athletic reached out to the team after realizing that it wasn’t played before Monday’s matchup. A number of team employees only noticed the removal of the anthem on their own, according to The Athletic. They also said that it was not announced or explained internally.”
Mark Cuban decided before the season the Mavericks would no longer play the national anthem, and it hasn't been before any of the team's 13 home games.
It's the first instance we know of a pro sports team striking the U.S. anthem from the pre-game. https://t.co/VaReFVCu4U
— tim cato (@tim_cato) February 10, 2021
UPDATE:
NBA 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.”
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 10, 2021