Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban took to Twitter on Monday to show his support for NBA players who decided to protest by kneeling during the national anthem. Mark Davis, an author and talk show host, claimed that he would stop supporting the Dallas Mavericks if any of its players decided to kneel and tagged Cuban in the tweet. Cuban quoted the tweet and responded with one word: “Bye.”
Soon after, Davis posted a follow-up tweet claiming that people who policed the national anthem were “out of control.”
Cuban’s response to Davis immediately gained traction online, with many defending his support for the players’ right to protest. Others reiterated their belief that kneeling during the anthem was disrespectful and warned Cuban that his stance could affect revenue for the Dallas Mavericks and that fans would no longer support the franchise if players decided to protest.
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 20, 2020
The National Anthem Police in this country are out of control. If you want to complain, complain to your boss and ask why they don’t play the National Anthem every day before you start work. https://t.co/NUwv7asO44
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 20, 2020
Cuban’s tweets managed to gain the attention of Texas senator Ted Cruz. Cruz posted a screenshot of one of Cuban’s tweets and expressed his displeasure for Cuban’s ideology, especially because the sports team is based in Texas. Cuban then told Cruz that he should have spoken to him directly instead of on social media.
Have some balls for once @tedcruz. Speak to me. It’s my tweet. https://t.co/QGza2qWoRR
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 20, 2020
Cruz responded by asking Cuban to share his thoughts about China and hinted at the complicated relationship between the global superpower and the NBA. Cuban’s initial response was that Black Lives Matter and systemic racism were real, which were two good reasons why some sports players have decided to kneel during the anthem.
He also criticized Cruz and the current administration for their lackluster effort at dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. He then said that he had commented on China in the past, but never felt the right to get involved in the issues of a foreign country because “we have too much to do here.” He ended his replies to Cruz by criticizing the senator for not standing up to Donald Trump, whose rhetoric and policies during his presidency have proved disastrous. When Twitter users called for a boycott of Cuban’s businesses, Cuban willingly posted a link to a website of every business he owns and said that people could boycott him if they wanted.
I can say Black Lives Matter. I can say there is systemic racism in this country. I can say there is a Pandemic that you have done little to end. I can say I care about this country first and last and.. https://t.co/URFs41XloY
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 20, 2020
For those of you that want to boycott me. https://t.co/9DZnhN4TT5 is the best URL for a list https://t.co/ZGv3saCHu4
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 20, 2020
Mark Cuban is the only team owner in the NBA to openly show his support for players protesting the national anthem. Sports franchises and their ownership have historically stayed silent about issues regarding the Black Lives Matter movement, and many teams have threatened their own players for protesting.
As the spread of COVID-19 begins to slow and sports seasons begin again, fans have wondered if athletes and staff would use their notoriety and platform to speak out against police brutality and systemic racism. Yesterday, members of the San Francisco Giants decided to kneel during the national anthem. Their manager, Gabe Kapler, joined them, making him the first in the MLB to do so.