Competitors from Nashville SC and FC Dallas came together to kneel as the national anthem played at the Wednesday night MLS match in Frisco, Texas. However, the response from the audience showcased everything but harmony, as many opted to jeer the competitors.
Defender Reggie Cannon, representing FC Dallas, expressed his dismay towards the fan reaction at Toyota Stadium. Following the anthem, fellow Dallas player Ryan Hollingshead extended his apologies to his teammate for the response.
“In your own stadium, you can’t even count on the backing of your fans,” Cannon conveyed to journalists. “It’s truly bewildering to me. As a team, we strive to deliver the best performance on the field and these past six months have been incredibly challenging for us. Incredibly challenging.
“Fans are jeering at you for individuals taking a stance on their beliefs. There are millions of others who support this cause and we’ve coordinated with every other team and the league on our course of action, only to have our fans jeering at us in our own stadium. How disgraceful is that? Honestly, to put it bluntly, it greatly angered me.”
Approximately 5,000 spectators were permitted to attend the game, though reports indicate that only 2,912 were present. Prior to entry, every attendee was required to sign legal documents ensuring that they would not take legal action against the league or teams if they contracted the coronavirus.
“We heard someone chant U-S-A,” Cannon recounted. “But they fail to grasp the significance of kneeling.”
For additional sport-related updates, visit this link.
