LaVar Ball has a simple message for NFL players heading into the 2018 season: Stand for the national anthem or leave.
The American media and sports personality told TMZ Sports that he believes the football league has gone too far in creating the new policy requiring players to stand for the national anthem, however, they have the right to do so and enforce it. Therefore, he thinks players should respect that.
“It’s their league,” he said Saturday. “If you don’t want to do it, get out their league.”
Ball, the father of three athletes himself, said that he created his own league, the Junior Basketball Association, so he can create and enforce his own rules and avoid following those like the NFL’s.
As for his league, he said his players will be standing for the national anthem.
“I got some youngsters, man. They’re going to do the anthem. They’re not going to be kneeling and doing all that,” he noted.
The NFL decided last month that teams will face a fine if their players decide to take a knee in protest during the national anthem following a rocky season plagued by protests and boycotts.
