Could FIFA tradition solve NFL anthem dilemma?
Asolution to the vexing NFL anthem-protest issue continues to evade both the league and players union.
Reps from both sides have met over the past month. Mutual radio silence from both camps, plus the absence of any updates of substance, suggest they’re not close to an agreement.
Not to overstate it, but I might have stumbled onto a framework for a potential solution thanks to FIFA. Indeed, world soccer’s pre-game ritual might offer a real solution for U.S. pro football. First, the background.
It was two years ago this month that then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began to protest social and racial injustice in the U.S. by at first sitting, then kneeling during the pre-game playing of the national anthem. A few players joined him that 2016 season.
Early last season, the issue exploded when U.S. President Donald Trump slammed protesting players, saying such “sons of bitches” should be immediately booted out of the league.
“If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!” Trump tweeted on Week 3 weekend.
In reaction, more than 200 players at 14 games that Sunday chose to not stand when The StarSpangled Banner played. Hundreds more stood at attention and locked arms in solidarity, some arm in arm with their coaches and even club owners.
Fast-forward to May. Owners hastily rammed through a stricter policy, voting unanimously — although two abstained — in favour of a new policy that requires all team personnel to stand respectfully as The Star-Spangled Banner plays, but allows those who’d prefer to remain in the locker-room to do so. As well, the league permitted clubs to set their own rules for anthem standing, including potential penalties such as suspensions for the non-compliant.
The NFL Players Association blew a gasket, decrying that players weren’t consulted on the new workplace policy — a labour-law violation, the union contended in a grievance. Some players vowed to kneel as a result.
Late last month, as NFL training camps opened, the league and NFLPA suddenly announced they had been engaging in “constructive dialogue” and had come to a “standstill agreement” on both the union’s grievance and the league’s new anthem policy.
Finally, the league announced Aug. 9 that while discussions with players continued, “the NFL has agreed to delay implementing or enforcing any club work rules that could result in players being disciplined for their conduct during the performance of the anthem.” So that’s where we are.
In May, I wrote a column lobbying the NFL to stop playing the pre-game anthem, period.
Here’s another idea, which came to me on Sunday morning while watching an English Premier League soccer game.
The practice instituted for years now by FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, is for each player of each team at international (even pro) games to walk onto the pitch while holding the hand of a child soccer player, then remain partnered with that child at midfield as teams line up for the pre-game anthem or other brief rituals.
At the same moment, FIFA has permitted socially beneficial messages on huge banners on the field, such as, “Say no to racism.”
Why don’t the NFL and NFLPA agree to something like that? Expand the idea, but amend it. When fans are asked to stand and remove their hats, how about this? Special avatars.
Some weeks, assign a child from a disadvantaged background to each player as they all stand together for the pre-game anthem.
Other weeks, say during Breast Cancer Awareness month, allow women survivors of the disease to hold hands with players.
Other weeks, players stand alongside members of the military. Or particularly heroic local first responders, even standout local law-enforcement officers. Or, really, any other adults or children worthy of being honoured — as long as it never descends to just privileged kids of wealthy donors and as long as the league and players union agree on every choice.
Would it feel forced? Maybe. Would some players feel patronized and resent it? Perhaps.
But really, which teams would object to that? Which players would choose to kneel while holding the hand of such a person?
This would literally bring people together. Isn’t that one of the points of the protests?
Furthermore, the league and union could agree on societal improvement messages they’d want to promote — in on-field pregame banners, stadium signage, player uniform patches, etc.
Finally, rather than just throwing money vaguely at these causes, why don’t both the NFL and NFLPA commit to writing it into their next collective bargaining agreement to together allocate a small percentage of league revenues to help rectify these societal problems in perpetuity?
In the process, the NFL and players would outdo their perceived more-caring counterparts in the NBA.
They might even shut up Trump. Now who on any side would protest that?