Patriotic Ceremonies at Ballparks Don't Honor America or Veterans
On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring the colonies' separation from Great Britain. This July 4th, America's 250th anniversary will be celebrated as never before.
Americans will celebrate with parades, fireworks, concerts and other patriotic displays. Corporations will celebrate with promotions crafted to increase sales. To many companies, that is part of what America is about.
How doing so equates with a day that celebrates independence puzzles me. But it's nothing compared to another business that wraps itself in the flag year-round: the sports industry, which, in my opinion, has long been one of the most hypocritical when it comes to displays of patriotism.
It has always puzzled me what playing the national anthem before an athletic event has to do with patriotism.
When I was in the Army, the playing of the national anthem required us to stand at attention and salute the flag. Today, when "The Star-Spangled Banner" is played at athletic events, American athletes and their foreign teammates are often seen moving around, stretching or scratching themselves as they wait for the contest to begin. (In the not-too-distant past, some athletes knelt during the anthem, arguing that the promises of the Declaration had not been fully realized for some minority communities.) Spectators are often no better. Except for military personnel in uniform, many fans cheer and clap before the anthem has concluded.
Major League Baseball teams try to demonstrate their patriotism by honoring a "Veteran of the Game." That's commendable. Our veterans should be honored for their service. But what makes the ceremony seem hollow, in my opinion, is that some teams present the veteran with a flag that has flown over the stadium. Baseball has a long history in the United States, but it never occurred to me that a ballpark is a patriotic site, unless it's located at one of the U.S. military academies. (According to MLB.com, all 30 Major League Baseball teams recognize military veterans and active-duty service members during games.)
Considering the price of tickets, parking and food, I wonder how many veterans can afford to take their families to a ballgame on July 4th, or any other day.
The sports industry's efforts to present itself as especially patriotic go back many decades.
According to published accounts, "The Star-Spangled Banner" became a regular feature at baseball games during World War II. While it was played at some games during World War I, it did not become a standard pregame tradition until World War II, according to MLB.com.
But of all the sports leagues that wrap themselves in the flag, there's no doubt in my mind that the National Football League has been the most hypocritical.
Here's why:
According to a 2015 report by former Sens. Jeff Flake and John McCain, America's professional sports leagues received nearly $7 million from the Pentagon for what the senators described as "paid patriotism" displays at games, with NFL teams receiving more than $6 million, according to a USA TODAY report published on Nov. 4, 2015.
The senators also reported that, beginning in 2012, the Pentagon signed 72 contracts with teams in the NFL, MLB, NHL and MLS involving what they characterized as "paid patriotism," according to NPR.
I believe that supporting veterans and military service members has to go beyond saying, "Thank you for your service," or using a volunteer who served to protect our democracy as part of a public relations promotion by presenting that individual with a flag flown over a sports stadium. That is not my idea of honoring America, to borrow an NFL phrase. It is simply a public relations exercise. The sports industry publicly urging Congress to ensure that veterans receive the medical care and financial support many need would, in my opinion, be a far more meaningful patriotic gesture.
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States. Sports leagues, teams and many other businesses will make a point of highlighting their support for veterans, effectively incorporating them into broader public relations campaigns.
In my opinion, sports leagues and businesses that use holidays such as Veterans Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July to persuade Americans that they are patriotic are doing little more than engaging in image-building. (One example, critics argue, is American businesses and sports organizations continuing to do business in countries whose governments have adversarial relationships with the United States.)
A simple moment of silence at ballparks asking fans to remember the sacrifices made by veterans would be appropriate.
Presenting a veteran with a flag flown over a sports stadium strikes me as a tired PR gimmick. Whoever first thought of using veterans in that way deserves a place in the PR Hall of Shame.
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