Texas Senate passes bill requiring pro sports teams to play the national anthem before games after Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tried to pull the plug on Star-Spangled Banner
- Texas state Senate passed the bill 28-2 with bipartisan support on Thursday
- It comes after Mavericks quietly pulled anthem from 13 games this season
- Cuban reversed the move after NBA issued a rebuke saying anthem is 'expected'
- Bill must now be passed by the Texas House before it can be signed into law
The Texas Senate has passed a bill requiring the anthem after Mavericks owner Mark Cuban stopped playing the song
The Texas Senate has passed a bill that would require professional sports teams with state contracts to play the national anthem before games, after Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban attempted to stop playing the anthem earlier this season.
The bill passed on Thursday in an overwhelming 28-2 vote, with bipartisan support from 11 Democrats, and now must pass in the state House before being signed into law.
The bill became a legislative 'priority' for Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick in February, when it emerged that the Mavericks had quietly removed the anthem from pre-game ceremonies for 13 games.
Billionaire owner Cuban reversed his position and reinstated the anthem after the NBA issued a harsh rebuke stating that the anthem was 'expected' before all games.
Cuban relented and played the anthem before the February 10 home game (above). The new bill would ban government entities from entering contracts with pro teams without a written agreement from the team to play the anthem
Head Coach Monty Williams of the Phoenix Suns (3rd R) and Head Coach Rick Carlisle of the Dallas Mavericks (2nd L) kneel with players before a game last August
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The new bill would ban government entities from entering contracts with pro teams without a written agreement from the team to play the anthem before all games.
That would cover most, if not all, pro teams in Texas, including the Mavericks, who play in the American Airlines Center, which is owned by the city of Dallas.
The national anthem became a source of controversy in recent years as players from a range of leagues protested during the song to draw attention to racial disparities and police brutality.
Cuban's decision not to play the anthem went unnoticed for the first 10 regular season home games because fans had not been allowed to attend due to coronavirus restrictions, but emerged when limited spectators were allowed in February.
The NBA responded by releasing a statement, saying: '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.'
Fans stand as players take the field for the national anthem prior to the game between the Houston Astros and the Oakland Athletics at Minute Maid Park on Thursday in Houston
Cuban complied, reinstating the anthem on February 10, with both the Mavericks and visiting Atlanta Hawks standing as it played.
In an interview at the time, Cuban insisted that he 'didn't cancel' the anthem and never actually changed any team policy.
'We didn't make any decision to never play the national anthem then -- that wasn't the case at all,' Cuban told ESPN's 'The Jump'.
'We didn't cancel the national anthem,' he continued. 'We still had our flag flying proud up on the wall at the American Airlines Center and everybody had the opportunity to address it and pray to it or salute to it or whatever their feelings are.
'There was never any final decision that was made that we would not play the anthem.'
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (above) praised the state Senate for passing the bill
Lieutenant Governor Patrick praised the state Senate for passing the new bill in a statement on Thursday.
'Texans are tired of sports teams that pander, insulting our national anthem and the men and women who died fighting for our flag,' he said.
'The passage of SB 4 will ensure Texans can count on hearing the Star Spangled Banner at major sports events throughout the state that are played in venues that taxpayers support,' he added.
'We must always remember that America is the land of the free and the home of the brave.'
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