WNBA and NBA stay silent as Finals teams skip national anthem

Players from the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries left the court before the national anthem was played in Games 1 and 2 of the WNBA Finals in San Francisco. Fox News and the Daily Mail reported that no players from either team were present on the floor during the pregame performances. A league rulebook provision requires players to stand and line up for the national anthem. [1][3]

Fox News reported that the NBA, the WNBA, and both teams have declined to answer inquiries regarding the absences. Representatives from OutKick attempted to contact NBA Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer Mike Bass on Tuesday, but the league has remained silent on the matter. [1]

The Golden State Valkyries earned a 68-64 victory over the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 on Saturday, according to UPI. The Daily Mail reported that the Atlanta Dream then won Game 2 to equalize the series. As FTMQ News reported earlier, the championship series between the two teams is currently tied 1-1. [2][3][15]

The opening game recorded the largest television audience for a WNBA Finals opener in history. UPI reported that the broadcast averaged 2.1 million viewers across NBC and Peacock. That figure reflects an 11 percent increase over the viewership for the previous season's Game 1 opener. [2]

The series now shifts to Atlanta for Game 3. CBS Sports reported that the Atlanta Dream will host the upcoming matchup at the city's main basketball arena. [6]