After 13 months of denial, it appears the NFL is "woke" now. Growing public opposition, boycotts, declining ticket sales and television viewership have substantially damaged the league's bottom line. A stubborn commissioner and team owners were slow to admit their marketing blunders and brand damage, but the National Basketball Association will not make the same mistakes.
On Friday, an NBA memo informed the league's teams that none of its players will be allowed to kneel during the national anthem during the 2017-2018 season. They will be standing.
ESPN Senior Writer Zach Lowe reports that Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum issued a memo to league members instructing them that "the league office will determine how to deal with any possible instance in which a player, coach, or trainer does not stand for the anthem." Furthermore, Lowe reports:
The memo states that individual teams "do not have the discretion to waive" the rule that players, coaches and staff stand for the anthem. The league has the discretion to discipline players who violate the rule. It is not clear if the league would exercise it in the event of any protest. The league also does not want teams independently disciplining players, sources say, and has encouraged open dialogue within teams.
Note that the memo does not require teams to pay attention to the flag. A video of the Boston Celtics from last season shows players linking arms and looking at the floor. The memo merely refers to standing up.
The NBA memo also suggests teams "might address the current political climate by having players and coaches give a joint pregame address at their first home games. This could include a message of unity and how the team is committed to bringing the community together this season."
Such addresses would prevent the disrespecting of veterans by kneeling during the national anthem, but if overtly political would certainly anger segments of the fan base.
Also, the memo said the league would approve of teams producing video tributes or public service announcements allowing team leaders to speak about issues of concern.
At the NBA's board of governors' Thursday meeting in Manhattan, Commissioner Adam Silver said: "It's my hope that our players will continue to use that as a moment of unity. Many of our players have spoken out already about their plan to stand for the anthem. And I think they understand how divisive an issue it is in our society right now."
Last season, many NBA players linked arms during the Star Spangled Banner, but none kneeled in disrespect as NFL players have done. If any player kneels this season, Silver said "we'll deal with it when it happens." He says athletes have other forums available to them to express their free speech.
Obviously, the NBA's leaders have learned from the crucial mistakes made by the NFL, whose inaction during the insulting anthem protests allowed its brand and its bottom line to substantially erode. Earlier this week, Commissioner Roger Goodell met with 10 team owners and eight players to discuss the serious consequences now facing the league.
One NFL ticket outlet reported a 31-percent decline in ticket sales; another reported an 18-percent decline. More and more businesses and customers are boycotting the NFL this weekend. NFL games will not be shown on the television screens of many restaurants and bars and countless homes this weekend. Shooting yourself in the foot is never good marketing strategy and the NFL has finally wised up.
Here is the complete NBA memo:
TO: NBA BOARD OF GOVERNORS, TEAM PRESIDENTS,GENERAL MANAGERS
FROM: MARK TATUM, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER &CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
CC: LEAGUE OFFICE
DATE: SEPTEMBER 29, 2017
RE: NEXT STEPS: BUILDING STRONGER, SAFER COMMUNITIESAs a follow-up to our discussions at this week’s Board of Governors meetings, this document outlines suggested steps each team could take as we prepare for the start of the season and continue to develop impactful community programs.
I. ENGAGING PLAYERS AND SENIOR LEADERSHIP
If you have not done so already, we suggest organizing discussions between players, coaches, general managers and ownership to hear the players’ perspectives.
One approach would be for team leadership to review existing team and league initiatives and encourage players to share their thoughts and ideas about them. Following those conversations, teams could develop plans prior to the start of the regular season for initiatives that players and senior leadership could participate in, such as:
- Hosting Community Conversations with youth, parents, community leaders and law enforcement about the challenges we face and our shared responsibility to create positive change.
- Creating “Building Bridges Through Basketball” programs that use the game of basketball to bring people together and deepen important bonds of trust and respect between young people, mentors, community leaders, law enforcement and other first responders.
- Highlighting the importance of mentoring with the goal of adding 50,000 new mentors to support young people through our PSA campaign.
- Engaging thought leaders and partners. A variety of experts, speakers and partner organizations are available to players and teams as you continue these conversations and develop programming.
- Establishing new and/or enhancing ongoing team initiatives and partnerships in the areas of criminal justice reform, economic empowerment and civic engagement.
II. OPENING WEEK
As we approach opening week, each team could explore ways to use their first home game as an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to the NBA’s core values of equality, diversity, inclusion and serve as a unifying force in the community, including:
- A joint address to fans featuring a player or coach prior to the National Anthem. This could include a message of unity and how the team is committed to bringing the community together this season.
- A video tribute or PSA featuring players, community leaders, faith leaders and team leadership speaking about the issues they care about and photos from past community events.
III. KEY MESSAGES
- These are difficult and nuanced issues.
- We support and encourage players to express their views on matters that are important to them.
- The NBA has a rule that players, coaches and trainers stand respectfully for the anthem. The league office will determine how to deal with any possible instance in which a player, coach or trainer does not stand for the anthem. (Teams do not have the discretion to waive this rule).
- Our team's focus remains on unity and collective action that leads to meaningful change in society. The players have embraced their roles in those efforts and we are proud of the work they do in our communities.
- We believe sports are a unifier and this is an opportunity for the NBA to once again lead by its core values of equality, inclusion and unity and to bridge divides and bring people together.
Clearly the NBA is trying to protect its brand and retain its customer base by getting on top of anything that could potentially kill its golden goose. But how realistic is it to think that young basketball players, including the one-and-done people who have a year of college education or less, are going to effectively "engage in criminal justice reform and economic empowerment"? The left-stream media isn't asking this question. They're obsessed with attacking President Trump and complaining that Kaepernick's police brutality focus has been hijacked by the message of unity.
