Legislators Right to Propose Anthem Requirement for Subsidized Sports Teams

Should pro-sports teams get away with biting the hand the feeds them? We think not.

The Florida Senate and House are weighing a proposal to enforce the playing of the national anthem at professional sporting events subsidized by the state.

Republican State Senator Joe Gruters of Sarasota proposed a measure on Thursday (SB 1298) that requires professional sports to teams to send in written verification the Star Spangled Banner will be played prior to all games or risk losing government assistance. Tommy Gregory, a Republican also from Sarasota, sought to advance a similar proposal last November for preseason, regular-season and post-season professional baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer and football games, NASCAR, IndyCar and PGA events held in venues with at least 75,000 seats.

Teams bucking the measure would be required to repay the government for any subsidies collected. The measure follows the passage of a Texas law, the Star Spangled Banner Protection Act, as a consequence of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's decision to expunge the anthem from games in November 2020.

The supercharged voices of an infinitesimal minority of Americans should not commandeer from the rest of the country, or our state, the ability to express pride in the nation or honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice at sporting events subsidized by taxpayers. With radicals around the country seeking to advance an increasingly anti-American and divisive agendas on both sides of the aisle, we whole-heartedly agree with a recent proposal to require the playing of the national anthem at sporting events.