Feb. 10, 2021 – The Dallas Mavericks have resumed playing the national anthem before games at Home.
After the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks were blasted this week for not playing the U.S. national anthem (before games) once since the season opener, drawing sideways glances from fans across the country, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) said Wednesday (Feb. 10) that he will push a bill through the state Legislature that would require the anthem to be played at events that receive public funding.
Patrick, a Republican, is also the state’s Senate president. He accused the professional basketball team of breaking with American tradition after the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks eliminated the playing of the American anthem before games, and announced he would introduce a new bill to fix the flaw.
The bill is called the “Star-Spangled Protection Act,” or Senate Bill 4.
Patrick said in a statement, “It’s hard to believe this could happen in Texas, but Mark Cuban’s (Maverick owner) actions yesterday show that we must make it clear that in Texas we play the national anthem before all major events.”
“In an era where so many things separate us, sports is the event that unites us – right, left, black, white and brown. There is already broad support for this legislation. I’m certain it will pass and the Stars and Stripes will no longer be threatened in the Lone Star State.”
In the Texas State Legislature, Republicans hold five more seats in the Senate and 16 more seats in the House.
Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Maverick team, ordered before the season that the pregame anthem not be played, and because their home arena was not open to spectators, the outside world didn’t notice the difference at first. It wasn’t until this week that it was noticed.
In response, the NBA weighed in Wednesday, ordering all 30 teams across the league to comply with the policy of playing the pregame anthem. “Now that NBA teams are welcoming fans back to the game, all teams will play the anthem in accordance with the league’s long-standing policy,” said NBA Chief Communications Officer Mike Bass. “
Cuban, for his part, said he is not playing the national anthem in deference to another group of people.
In a statement, Cuban said he hopes people who are passionate about the anthem “will bring the same passion to the issue and apply the same energy to listen to those who feel differently than they do. Only then, he said, “can we move forward and have the courageous conversations that will move this country forward and find what unites us.”
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