Mark Cuban Says He Told Mavericks to Stop Playing Anthem

By BY MARC STEIN from NYT Sports The N.B.A. has long required the playing of the national anthem before games, but the league gave teams permission to skip the ritual this season.https://nyti.ms/3jxRLd3

N.F.L. Season Kicks Off With Protests

By BY KEN BELSON from NYT Sports After an off-season of social turmoil, the Houston Texans chose not to be on the field for the playing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the league’s season opener in Kansas City, Mo.https://nyti.ms/2DOGILX

Hockey, Rocked by Racist Acts, Embraces Black Lives Matter Campaigns

By BY MORGAN CAMPBELL from NYT Sports To a degree not seen before, players are kneeling for the United States national anthem and speaking out publicly on fighting racism, with backing from the National Hockey League.https://nyti.ms/2F9BhYo

LeBron James Says He Doesn’t Care if Trump Shuns N.B.A. Over Protests

By BY MARC STEIN from NYT Sports “The game will go on without his eyes on it,” James, the Los Angeles Lakers star, said after President Trump said he turns off games when players kneel during the national anthem.https://nyti.ms/2C3j4dL

Trump Backs Out of Throwing Pitch at Yankees Game

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports After saying he would do the ceremonial honor at a game on Aug. 15, causing a stir on social media, the president tweeted he would skip it to focus on combating the pandemic.https://nyti.ms/39uhfmt

The N.F.L. Wears Patriotism on Its Sleeve. And Its Head. And Its Feet.

By BY BRITTAINY NEWMAN from NYT Sports Displays of the flag have become essential to the league, but a push for patriotism has not come without controversy.https://nyti.ms/37x4mpp

Colin Kaepernick Wins a Ruling to Continue His Collusion Case Against the N.F.L.

By KEN BELSON from NYT Sports An arbitrator has allowed the case to go to a full hearing after determining that Kaepernick’s lawyers had unearthed sufficient evidence of collusion to keep the free agent quarterback off the field.https://nyti.ms/2Ph4Jvc

Colin Kaepernick Wins a Ruling to Continue His Collusion Case Against the N.F.L.

By KEN BELSON from NYT Sports An arbitrator has allowed the case to go to a full hearing after determining that Kaepernick’s lawyers had unearthed sufficient evidence of collusion to keep the free agent quarterback off the field.https://nyti.ms/2PU6903

N.F.L. Anthem Protests Stirring Emotions Even Before the Season

By KEN BELSON from NYT Sports After just a handful of exhibition games, the issue remains as contentious as ever, as illustrated by a police union’s scolding of the Dolphins last week.https://nyti.ms/2vDMx7R

John Amirante, Longtime Anthem Singer for the Rangers, Dies at 83

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT Sports Amirante sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” before Rangers games at Madison Square Garden from 1980 until he retired in 2015.https://nyti.ms/2JPrWmh