The National Anthem and sporting events

[JPPaverage]

I have attended a lot of sporting events and still haven't figured out why teams and leagues feel a need to play/sing the National Anthem before games. It neither detracts from nor adds anything to the game.
So to solve the issue in the NFL, I propose that they just do away with the anthem altogether and just play the games. After all, people pay money to see athletes perform. Of course, the issue in the NFL is control. The owners want to make sure they have control of those uppity players, especially the more than 50 pct. that are African American.

[RockRaven]

1. I'm annoyed by it, personally, and have been since it's usage got extra jingoistic-y after 9/11

It's usage was plenty jingoistic during the Cold War, but post USSR break-up it had become rather pro forma.

I mute the TV or wait until after the games start to turn to that channel. When at games in person it is very annoying not to be able to avoid it.

First, the national anthem sucks musically. And it is often done poorly on top of that. It is aesthetically awful (not unlike our flag, incidentally).

Second, the content and context of the lyrics are inappropriate for a sporting event, never mind something to represent our national values/aspirations.

Third, it is cheap and cynical for private entertainment corporations to attempt to leverage their audiences patriotism/idealism into loyalty/warm fuzzy feelings towards their company/brand. I'd say it is insulting to the audience's intelligence that the owners/managers think people would be manipulated by such an obvious maneuver, but apparently people are.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

2. Only in the US

is the national anthem played before sporting events. Oh, also in Canada, but then that's probably the US influence.

[Greybnk48]

3. I agree. Why do we sing the Anthem at a football game?

Why do jets fly over and there's often a military color guard. This is not a military or national event, so why sing it at all, and why haul out a giant flag all the goddamn time?