After initially declaring it would no longer show the national anthem on Monday Night Football, ESPN has reversed course and decided that air the singing of the anthem. The network cites the shooting in Las Vegas, as the reason behind the move.
ESPN was set to follow in the footsteps of Fox Sports, which decided to go back to its previous habit of running commercials during the time the national anthem is played in the stadium at the start of each NFL game. However, after the shooting at Mandalay Bay, the network changed its mind:
One report even claimed Disney-owned ESPN had decided not to show the anthem this season at all, but it clearly broke that ruling as the season started.
The decision comes on the heels of the still unexplained assault on hundreds of concert goers outside the Mandalay Bay hotel on Sunday night. Nearly 60 were killed and hundreds injured when 64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire out of the window of his room on the 32nd floor of the hotel.
The plan is for a moment of silence for the Las Vegas victims, following the anthem. Though, with anthem protests still taking place all over the league and ESPN deciding to show the anthem tonight, there’s also the chance that some players will have their protests aired.
Thus far for the NFL’s Week 4 games, the protests have continued in the face of mounting fan fury. About a dozen players took a knee as individuals, two teams did so en masse, and dozens of players linked arms during the playing of the anthem. In addition, about a dozen players raised the militant black power fist during the song. Also, one player, the Titans Rishard Matthews, refused to take the field during the time the anthem was playing.
The Kansas City Chiefs will face the Washington Redskins on Monday night.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.
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