Will Big 12 players kneel during the anthem? Bob Bowlsby calls it ‘ongoing topic’
The Big 12 is considering an avenue that would allow football players to kneel during the national anthem this season.
Commissioner Bob Bowlsby spoke at length Monday about the conference rolling out an anti-racism and anti-hate campaign, saying players should feel empowered to speak out.
A question is whether the league will allow players to do so during the national anthem. Unlike professional players, college players are usually not on the field during the anthem. Therefore, they do not have the option to kneel as a way to protest racial injustices across the country.
That could change this season as Bowlsby said it’s an “ongoing topic” that will be discussed by the league’s athletic directors on Tuesday.
“College teams in football have traditionally not been on the field, mostly because of marching bands,” Bowlsby said. “The band pregame show occupies the field and generally speaking they do the anthem and then the teams take the field. This year will be a little different.”
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Bowlsby said he expects most bands to play the anthem in the stands. Again, though, teams may remain in the locker room during it. The football season is scheduled to start on Saturday for most conference teams.
Bowlsby said the league will likely allow each individual institution to determine how it handles the anthem.
It’s a touchy subject given the controversy surrounding players kneeling. Although the stated reason is to protest racial injustices, some fans see it as a sign of disrespect to the flag and military.
The NBA has seen declining TV ratings that some believe is directly related to the league’s protests during the national anthem. The NFL faced similar backlash when its ratings declined a couple years ago.
College football has largely avoided the anthem controversy, but the Big 12 is committed to players voicing their opinions on societal issues going forward. The country is in the midst of a racial reawakening and the Big 12 plans to have players wear jersey patches with social justice messages and black Big 12-themed helmet stickers preaching unity.
“We hope to empower student-athletes to speak out,” Bowlsby said.
Bowlsby used Stephen F. Austin as an example of a team protesting last weekend. In its game at UTEP, SFA players took a knee with a raised fist before a kickoff following a Lumberjacks touchdown and were given a delay of game penalty.
“It’s intended there’s some latitude on a local basis, and we have the expectation there will be representations of feelings of student-athletes in a variety of ways,” Bowlsby said. “Within some latitude, we encourage those things and want to make sure that student-athletes can find their voice and use their voice, yet we also have to manage it so that there are not significant disruptions to the contest as well.”
Other steps the Big 12 is taking include 30-second and 60-second television spots the conference will use during telecasts. The league also formed a Black student-athlete council, is continuing to support voter-registration programs and has an internship program for people of color.
“[Student-athletes] have found their voice. I hope it doesn’t end,” Bowlsby said. “To find their voice and have their voice listened to. That’s really the essence of our campaign. “You see me one way on the field and you see me one way off the field.
“Most of the racism in our society is not overt. Most of it is people that aren’t people of color that don’t spend enough time thinking about it. We hope to empower student-athletes to speak out.”
