“The Star-Spangled Banner” is back for Dallas Mavericks home games.
The NBA issued a statement Wednesday reminding all 32 teams in the league that playing the national anthem before games is required after news broke Tuesday that Dallas owner Mark Cuban had done away with the pregame tradition for the first 13 Mavericks home games this season.
“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,” the league’s statement read.
Cuban told The Athletic he had made the decision to cancel the playing of the anthem before the season began. Without fans in the stands, the move went largely unnoticed for those 13 contests. Once common knowledge, the move was met with both outrage and support on social media.
In a statement, Cuban wrote that he hoped “those who feel passionate about the anthem being played will be just as passionate in listening to those who do not feel it represents them.”
• Andy Kostka can be reached at akostka@washingtontimes.com.
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