# NBA Dallas Mavs stop playing national anthem before home games **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 10, 2021, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609 "2021-02-10T14:12:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/1 "2021-02-10T14:12:10Z")
Mark Cuban said it was his decision but gave no reason. > **[Mavs stop playing anthem at Cuban's direction](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30869922/dallas-mavericks-stopped-playing-national-anthem-home-games-owner-mark-cuban-direction)** > > The Dallas Mavericks have stopped playing the national anthem before home games, owner Mark Cuban confirmed to ESPN, and do not plan to resume the tradition in the future. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/2 "2021-02-10T15:02:12Z")
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**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/3 "2021-02-10T15:04:06Z")
In the future, please bring more to an Op than just a link. Share why you posted it. What you think about it. Start the conversation. **Ops with just links or almost no content will be shut down in P&E and GD.** _This is just a guidance, not a warning. Nothing on your permanent record._ * * * Re-opened as Op will be adding more. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/4 "2021-02-10T16:05:05Z")
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**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/5 "2021-02-10T16:12:47Z")
That takes some balls. I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/6 "2021-02-10T16:48:13Z")
I did not expect this in a red state like Texas. I could see it in SF or Seattle or Boston. Seems like nobody noticed it or did not care. I don’t expect this will spread much ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/7 "2021-02-10T17:03:34Z")
Playing the national anthem of both teams (and perhaps the host country) before an international sports game, like at the World Cup, is a special event that honors both sides and gives the event additional gravitas. Playing the national anthem at a domestic sports game is a cheap marketing ploy meant to convince spectators that watching the game is somehow patriotic, as is giving the league their cash. It is on par with selling underpants by putting the American flag on them and quickly causes the anthem to lose its meaning. I hope other teams follow suit; this “Murica-Fuck-Yeah” brand of nationalism is destructive to our national spirit and far more disrespectful than kneeling during the anthem ever was. It serves no purpose but to allow a certain brand of snowflakes to virtue signal about how patriotic they are and judge anyone who doesn’t jump through the same hoops they did. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/8 "2021-02-10T17:06:51Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I did not expect this in a red state like Texas. I could see it in SF or Seattle or Boston. Seems like nobody noticed it or did not care. I don’t expect this will spread much Have you heard of Mark Cuban? Ain’t exactly a “red state” partisan. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/9 "2021-02-10T17:09:42Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I did not expect this in a red state like Texas “Dallas” is very different from “Texas.” Or so I’m told. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/10 "2021-02-10T17:11:48Z")
No, Austin is different from the rest of Texas. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/11 "2021-02-10T17:14:20Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I did not expect this in a red state like Texas. I could see it in SF or Seattle or Boston. Seems like nobody noticed it or did not care. I don’t expect this will spread much Now that it’s been brought to public attention, I expect there to be outrage at this obviously un-patriotic decision. Never mind that the change was made apparently several months ago. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/12 "2021-02-10T17:15:52Z")
When the controversy about kneeling football players was hot, I often saw comments saying, “If people don’t think sports should be politicized, then they shouldn’t want the national anthem played at ball games.” It’s a valid point, and I’m happy about this development. There’s more than enough mindless patriotism in this world. And fuck that “under God” crap. There’s more than enough coercive religion in this world. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/13 "2021-02-10T17:21:00Z")
What I find really bad is when people say “you are disrespecting the troops” as if the anthem is somehow only for troops ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/14 "2021-02-10T17:24:39Z")
About time. I see absolutely no reason to play the anthem before any game that isn’t some international tournament (i.e,. USA vs. France.) Saves us some time before the game begins, too. While we’re at it - are there any other nations that do this, too - play the national anthem before each game, even though it’s just a domestic league with domestic teams? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/15 "2021-02-10T17:27:58Z")
Mavs fans only recently were allowed into games so that’s why nobody brought it up . ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/16 "2021-02-10T17:28:53Z")
Maybe he just got tired of everyone starting to cheer and applaud three lines from the end. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/17 "2021-02-10T17:30:49Z")
May it be the start of a trend. I doubt it, though. I’m sure @Dewey_Finn is right that the backlash will be intense. I doubt Cuban will give in, but I also doubt any other teams will be eager to follow his lead. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/18 "2021-02-10T17:31:01Z")
What’s always bothered me is that people were so up in arms about how the kneeling was somehow disrespectful, but at every event I’ve attended, the anthem is followed by loud applause and cheering, which is definitely inappropriate, if not disrespectful. And plenty of attendees talk, go get a beer or use the toilet during the anthem. How is that not disrespectful? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/19 "2021-02-10T17:33:08Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > About time. I see absolutely no reason to play the anthem before any game that isn’t some international tournament Seems to be the consensus here at the SDMB at least. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609/20 "2021-02-10T17:35:49Z")
Hell, at more than one stadium it’s traditional to shout over the words. For example, in KC (a place where they booed players kneeling, IIRC) they shout “Chiefs” over “Brave” in the final line. How is that less disrespectful than silently kneeling? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-dallas-mavs-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-home-games/932609.md?page=2)