(UnitedVoice.com) – COVID-19 has affected our daily lives in many ways. One industry it’s done a real number on is professional sports.
It’s still not certain that the NFL is going to have a full season this year, though the league is privately saying they have high confidence the games will be played. But, even if we do have games, one thing we won’t have is live on-field performances of the national anthem before kick-off.
On Monday, August 10, the NFL announced they’re banning all live singers because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. They’re also foregoing all on-field military presentations and police honor guards with the flags.
Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy tweeted out the report.
EXCLUSIVE: The NFL is ditching live on-field performances by U.S. National Anthem singers this season. Due to COVID-19 risk to players, the league may also curtail on-field access of Military/Police Honor Guards who present the American flag before games. https://t.co/K1noWg81iw
— Michael McCarthy (@MMcCarthyREV) August 10, 2020
It’s not all bad news, though. The league may be scrapping the live singing, but it’s not totally banning the National Anthem. At the start of each game, we’ll still hear The Star-Spangled Banner, but it’ll be prerecorded or possibly live-streamed in from another location.
Ditching the anthem singers, military, and police honor guards are just a few changes we’ll see this year — if the season is played. The NFL is also expected to address social justice issues this season.
On top of that, it’s unlikely fans will be attending the games. The Giants, Jets, and Eagles have already announced they won’t be allowed.
Copyright 2020, UnitedVoice.com
