Why Did Mark Cuban Stop Playing The National Anthem At Dallas Mavericks Games?

Billionaire businessman Mark Cuban’s decision to nix the national anthem is coming to an end. Just hours after it was reported that “The Star-Spangled Banner” hadn’t been played prior to the start of the Dallas Mavericks’ home games this season, the NBA announced that every team must utilize the song as part of their pregame.

“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,” NBA Chief Communications Officer Mike Bass said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

Cuban, who bought the Mavericks in 2000, directed the team to end the tradition of playing the national anthem before tipoff after consulting with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, ESPN reported. No announcement was made prior to the start of the season, but Cuban confirmed his decision to The Athletic Monday when the publication reached out to the team.

Cuban has confirmed that Dallas will start playing the anthem for the team's next game.

Once fans were increasingly back in arenas, including in Dallas, there was little chance Adam Silver would let Mavs continue without playing anthem. Maybe there’s a collective conversation in NBA or sports to be had on issue, but Silver wasn’t letting one team make that decision.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2021

Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks will resume playing the Anthem tonight vs. Atlanta. Statement from Cuban, in part: “The hope is that those who feel passionate about the anthem being played will be just as passionate in listening to those who do not feel it represents them.” pic.twitter.com/XnXpd8ThlW
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 10, 2021

Dallas has played a total of 13 preseason and regular-season home games at the American Airlines Center this season. In Monday’s 127-122 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Mavericks hosted a limited number of fans for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic. With 1,000 people in attendance, the anthem was not played.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, a source close to the Mavericks’ owner said the decision was made because some members of the organization believe the anthem “doesn’t represent them.” The Mavericks hope to continue the “discussion of how to represent people from all communities” when honoring the country at games.

Source close to Mark Cuban says decision to not play Anthem before Mavs games isn’t because they don’t love U.S., but because many feel anthem doesn’t represent them, and they want to continue discussion of how to represent people from all communities when honoring U.S. at game.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 10, 2021

Most NBA players followed in the footsteps of other athletes when the league moved to its Disney bubble to finish the 2020 season by kneeling during the national anthem. Cuban took issue with people who were upset about the protest.

“The National Anthem Police in this country are out of control,” Cuban said in a since-deleted tweet, “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.”

Before the bubble, the NBA had required players to stand during the anthem.