Vice President JD Vance called this action "disgraceful," stating that without love of country, one is likely to be a disordered human being. This incident is part of a larger trend of protests during the national anthem that began in the NFL in 2017 and has since spread to the NBA and WNBA.
The NFL has responded to these protests by allowing the singing of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," also known as the black national anthem, during the Super Bowl since 2021. The WNBA commissioner has not commented on the players' actions or the possibility of an additional anthem.
The walkout by WNBA players has sparked debate about the role of professional athletes in political activism. Some argue that athletes should not use their platform to make political statements, while others see it as a way to bring attention to social justice issues.
The use of the national anthem as a platform for protest has been particularly contentious, with some viewing it as a symbol of national unity and others seeing it as a representation of systemic inequality. The incident highlights the complex and often contradictory meanings that can be assigned to symbols like the national anthem and the flag.