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NEW YORK (77WABC) – Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, confirmed to The Athletic that his basketball team has ceased playing the national anthem before home games this season and do not plan on playing it moving forward.
The Mavericks did not publicize the anthem’s removal, and The Athletic was the first media organization to reach out about the change after noticing its absence on Monday. Multiple team employees described only noticing the anthem’s removal on their own, as it was also not announced or explained internally.
None of 13 preseason and regular-season games played at the American Airlines Center this season have featured the anthem before the game, including Monday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the first played this season with a limited amount of fans in attendance.
Just before the NBA resumed last season in late July, Cuban 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.”
It started a twitter war between the Shark Tank star and Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.
“Really??!?” Cruz replied. “NBA is telling everyone who stands for the flag, who honors our cops and our veterans, to ‘piss off’? In Texas, no less? Good luck with that.”
Cuban answered: “Have some (expletive) for once @tedcruz. Speak to me. It’s my tweet.”
Cuban declined a request for further comment or explanation Monday evening. The Mavericks organization also declined comment Tuesday.
Cuban has been vocal about his support for those who wish to kneel during the playing of the national anthem, the practice which former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began in 2016 and which became a lightning rod for partisan political debate.
