NBA Team Cancels Singer's Anthem Performance Over 'We Matter' Shirt, Later Apologizes
PHILADELPHIA (CBS13/AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers apologized Friday for canceling the national anthem performance of a singer wearing a "We Matter" jersey.
The 76ers backtracked from their original stance when they told R&B singer Sevyn Streeter she could not perform the anthem before Wednesday night's season opener because of the slogan.
"We are sorry that this happened," the Sixers said in a Friday statement. "After receiving feedback from our players, basketball operations staff and ownership group, we believe that the wrong decision was made, and Sevyn should have been welcomed to sing. We apologize to her, and in an effort to move the conversation forward, we have reached out to offer her an opportunity to return and perform at a game of her choice. We are waiting to hear back."
Streeter could not immediately be reached for comment.
Streeter said in an interview with The Associated Press late Wednesday she was told she would not sing just minutes before her performance.
"I'd say two minutes before we were about to walk out ... the organization told me that I could not wear my shirt while singing the national anthem at their game," the R&B singer said by phone. "I was never given any kind of dress code. I was never asked beforehand to show my wardrobe."
The Sixers players met Thursday and were considering whether to respond to Streeter's cancellation.
"Everybody expressed their emotions about it," forward Robert Covington said. "We want to take steps about it. We just don't know exactly what steps we want to take. We talked about a lot of different things."
The Sixers play at home Saturday against Atlanta.
In a similar incident, a national anthem singer took a knee during a Sacramento Kings preseason game. The singer was apparently showing her support for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's protest of the national anthem.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
