The first United States flag was adopted by congress on June 14, 1777. This flag was created by Betsy Ross after she was commissioned to create it by our founding fathers as a symbol to our independence and patriotism during the American Revolutionary War. These early Americans were victorious and displayed the flag proudly to represent the new United States of America and remembrance to those who perished for the cause.
In 1812 we found ourselves in a new war known as the “Second War of Independence”. During this war in 1814, Fort Henry was being bombed and young man named Francis Scott Key wrote a poem based on the visions he witnessed that day. By the time the bombing was over, our flag was still flying triumphantly above the fort and America had again achieved victory. This poem was later developed into a song and adopted by congress as our National Anthem for tribute to our fallen soldiers.
Our flag and the “Star Spangled Banner” met sports in 1862 but it became iconic in sports during the 1918 World Series when the band began playing the National Anthem during the 7th inning stretch when one of the players stopped on the field to remove his hat and pay tribute. Some of his team members returned to the field to join him and the crowd responded positively where it brought the stadium back to life.
Since that day, the United States Flag and the National Anthem are sung for most all sporting events. This tradition gives us all the ability to pay tribute to those who serve and to those who have perished for our country to give us freedom. These freedoms are the fruits harvested from our lost American heroes lives that now give the athletes and the fans alike the abilities to be gathered together for the enjoyment of a sporting event by all of its fans. Some players forget lives were lost each year for them to have freedom to play a game and tend to make the games only about big contracts and personal agendas. Players need to remember the National Anthem is not about them, it is not about the fans, it is about the people who perished for our country and for those who serve our country that give the players the ability to play the game they love. Playing professional sports is a privilege, it's not a right so everyone lets please remember American heroes and stand up to do what's right!
In todays world this new Patriotic Battle against athletes began brewing in our country when some athletes took it upon themselves to kneel for our National Anthem only to disgrace our country, to disgrace our flag, to disgrace our heroes, to disgrace our sports and to disgrace all Americans who perished and they imposed this disgrace upon us for their personal agendas. The fans are fed up with this hateful and disgraceful behavior and it’s the fans that provide these athletes with their extravagant lifestyles and their exorbitant salaries so we expect better behavior from these players as the field is not their personal stage to disgrace our country so we the fans demand to be heard.
We understand the leagues and owners are in bad positions as they have billion dollar companies to run where they must walk a fine line trying to please both their players and the fans. Just as we know the leagues abilities to do what is right is limited since sports were taken over by players unions and lawyers acting as sports agents.
However, for us fans, addressing this topic is much easier since the players are only on the field because of the fans buying the tickets and merchandise. Through boycotts, many fans have already walked away from sports over this issue but here at FansMatter.com we know most fans have spent decades and tens of thousands of dollars to be a part of the action so although they are disgusted by player’s actions they put up with these actions until there's an option.
The good news is that now there's an option, FansMatter.com! We and our members are demanding that the leagues do the following:
- Work with the owners to establish clear and toughened penalties for any athlete that disgraces our countries fallen heroes and/or the Anthem or flag of the United States of America.
- Until suspendible penalties for the players can be established we demand:
- That the National Anthem only be played while no player is on the field or in the view of fans or media.
- If the above cannot be enforced due to union agreements then we demand that Anthem not be played until a time the players and unions can show respect for those who have died for their freedoms. We the fans would rather not have the Anthem played than to see your players disgrace it and our country.
- Since you authorize and license the media pictures and/or video of your events, we demand that you ban any publication depicting any player disgracing the flag just as you no longer broadcast images of fans when they storm the field.
Until we the fans see the above terms are met, we the fans and members of FansMatter.com agree that we will perform the following:
- During any and all player introductions and/or National Anthems. We the fans agree to remain away from our seats and out of view from all players and remain in the concourses so players can look up and only see an absence of fans for their disgrace to our country and fallen heroes.
- We the fans agree that we shall not patronize any sponsor or partner of the leagues and only support competitors to those who sponsor the league to include those companies who license stadium naming rights until respect for our country can be learned by your players.
- We the fans agree to regularly review our sponsor boycott list sent by FansMatter.com and complete surveys so that FansMatter.com can notify each sponsor and show them the estimate of the revenue they are losing by supporting a league that supports hate and disgracing our country and our fallen heroes.
Remember, we the fans love our sports, love our athletes, love our coaches, and we love our owners but there is a place and a time for everything. In sports we the fans feel that this time and place will never occur at games during tributes to our fallen heroes and we ask that you ensure your players address their personal agenda at a time and at a place that is appropriate. We also ask that players quit disgracing the most important thing that represents this country, Our Flag, just for shock value and media coverage.
Thank You,
Your fans and members of FansMatters.com
If you believe in America and support our country then Please read and sign our petition for change and pledge that you as a fan will perform the above to help us put an end to this hate and disgraceful practice.