In light of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban announcing the team had not been playing the national anthem at home games at American Airlines Center, and had no intention to do so going forward, the NBA released a statement contradicting the Mavs owner.
According to a statement from the NBA Chief Communications Officer Mike Bass, the NBA will play the national anthem as part of a “longstanding” policy.
“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,” Bass wrote.
Full statement from the NBA on mandating all teams to play the national anthem: pic.twitter.com/VeCIxLCpew
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 10, 2021
The Mavericks played their first 10 regular season home games without playing the national anthem. It wasn’t until they allowed fans back into the AAC that the absence of the national anthem was noticed.
