Mark Cuban has spent years sparring with opponents, both imagined and real. But he has been strangely quiet on a new ruling in Texas
As a Texas law that amounts to a near-total ban on abortion continues to make shockwaves around the world, another measure in the state goes largely unnoticed. Effective as of last Wednesday, it requires any Texas professional sports team that receives state funding to play the national anthem during games. That measure, which began life in February with bipartisan support, has been dubbed the Star Spangled Banner Protection Act. But basketball fans may soon come to know it by another name – the Mark Cuban Rule.
In November 2020 the Dallas Mavericks owner quietly made the decision to stop playing the anthem before his team’s home games in solidarity with the player-led social justice movement. And for the better part of four months, no one noticed until the Athletic’s Tim Cato brought it up. Right-wingers were incredulous.