USA TODAY International Edition
Networks diverge on plans for anthem
CBS won’t televise; Fox will sometimes
President Donald Trump ripped ESPN on Tuesday night for its plans to not show the national anthem live as part of its NFL broadcasts.
But ESPN is not the only major network planning to go that route.
A CBS Sports spokesperson told USA TODAY this week that it doesn’t plan to televise the playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner” as part of its weekly NFL broadcasts, which is the same approach it has taken in recent years.
A person familiar with Fox Sports’ approach said the network plans to show the anthem only during what it considers to be special broadcasts, including on Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and during the playoffs. The person requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. An NBC Sports spokesperson said the plans for its 19 broadcasts are undetermined.
“On occasion, we’ve covered the national anthem, but our plans aren’t finalized yet as we have an earlier kickoff time in 2018,” the spokesperson wrote in an email, referencing the fact that the network’s Sunday night games will start 10 minutes earlier than last year.
The anthem has generally not been shown live during NFL broadcasts on a weekly basis in recent years, even as some players have kneeled, raised their fists or otherwise protested while it is being played.
Players have described the demonstrations as a means of protesting police brutality and racial inequality, while critics, including Trump, have said that they are unpatriotic.
Multiple networks described their plans as standard operating procedure or a continuation of how they’ve approached the issue.
“Consistent with our past practices, we do not plan to show the anthem live,” a CBS Sports spokesperson told USA TODAY in an email. “We will be prepared to cover any story that is newsworthy as it develops.”
ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro offered a similar sentiment in a conversation with reporters Friday, explaining that the network has not aired the national anthem live during its “Monday Night Football” broadcasts in the past and does not plan to change in 2018, at least, not at the moment. He left open the possibility that the network could adjust course based on the news.
Some of the NFL’s broadcast partners did just that early last season, after Trump used an expletive to describe protesting players.
More than 200 players demonstrated during the national anthem on the Sunday after Trump’s remarks, according to the Associated Press, and footage of those protests played a significant role in TV broadcasts, with multiple networks opting to carry the anthem live.
The following week, the networks were mixed on how to handle the issue. CBS chose to show the national anthem before its 1 p.m. ET kickoff games and NBC broadcast it before its Sunday night game, according to a report from “Sports Illustrated.”
Fox opted to show the anthem — as well as the playing of “God Save the Queen” — before its London game but did not show the anthem before other games that week.
“However, our cameras are always rolling and we will document the response of players and coaches on the field,” Fox Sports said in a statement to “Sports Illustrated” at the time.
As TV networks finalize their plans for 2018, the NFL and the NFL Players Association are working toward a mutually agreeable policy for national anthem conduct.
The anthem remains one of the league’s hot-button issues, even though the practice of having players on the sideline while it is being played remains relatively new. Players weren’t required to be on the field during the anthem before 2009.