The WNBA reportedly decided to suspend its national anthem policy.
The league has come under fire on social media, as players from the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries have not been on the floor while the “Star Spangled Banner” plays prior to tipoff during the national anthem.
The WNBA has not publicly responded to the anthem controversy. The same thing reportedly happened in Games 1 and 2.
“Both the Dream and the Valkyries left the court prior to the playing of the National Anthem before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals,” Fox News reported.
“OutKick asked the WNBA if there is a rule that teams must be on the court for the anthem and if they had any comment about their two Finals teams skipping. They did not immediately respond. We also asked both the Dream and Valkyries for comment. Neither team responded. Finally, we attempted to ask both coaches during the postgame press conference, but we were not granted the opportunity to ask a question.”
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The WNBA does have an official national anthem policy in the rule book. In Section H of the II. BASIC PRINCIPLES portion of the rule book, the following is said:
“Players, coaches, and trainers are to stand and line up in a dignified posture along the sidelines or on the foul line during the playing of the National Anthem,” the policy reads.
However, that policy has reportedly been suspended.
WNBA ‘suspended’ national anthem policy years ago
The WNBA reportedly “suspended” that policy a few years ago.
“While the league rulebook states what should happen during the anthem, the protocols were suspended years ago,” ABC 7 reported.
“Late in the 2017 season, the league suspended its protocols, saying in a memo to teams that players and coaches didn’t have to follow them. The memo was sent to allow players to show support for victims in the wake of a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that occurred that summer.”
It’s also reportedly unclear if the policy applies to people on the court, or if it requires people be on the court.
Regardless, it doesn’t seem like it’s something that the WNBA is concerned with. Players from the Valkyries and Dream have not been on the floor during both of the first two games of the 2026 WNBA Finals.
Game 3 of the 2026 WNBA Finals is set for tonight at 8 p.m. E.T.
