Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, said on Tuesday he made the decision before the season started not to have the national anthem played before home games.
The Mavericks played their first regular season home game on Monday with fans present, after 10 regular season games without. Dallas is allowing 1,500 vaccinated essential workers to attend games for free at the American Airlines Center.
An NBA spokesman said, “Under the unique circumstances of this season, teams are permitted to run their pregame operations as they see fit.”
Cuban was outspoken against critics of kneelers during the “Star-Spangled Banner” when the 2019-2020 season resumed in the “bubble” in Florida.
According to The Athletic, “Cuban said in July that he would kneel with players during the anthem. He also tweeted, ‘The National Anthem Police in this country are out of control. If you want to complain, complain to your boss and ask why they don’t play the National Anthem every day before you start work.'”
In response this morning, wingnuts gotta wingnut.
Story at CBS