In recent weeks, fans attending NBA and NHL games in Canada have developed a trend of booing during the pregame performance of the U.S. national anthem, a protest against President Donald Trump’s escalating tensions with Canada since he took office. As the NHL hosts the 4 Nations Face-Off, an All-Star tournament featuring American and Canadian teams, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly joined Bloomberg’s Business of Sports podcast to address the protests.
“I think it’s obviously an unfortunate situation. I don’t think anybody likes when anthems are booed or disrespected in any way, and certainly we count ourselves among that group,” Daly remarked. He added that the league has been monitoring the situation closely and believes it is easing somewhat, citing a positive experience in Montreal during a recent game with two American teams. “Sport is a way of breaking down barriers and bringing people closer together, and we hope that this tournament can help do that, for sure.”
However, in early February, Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from Canada, prompting fans to boo during the national anthem at games, including one where the Toronto Raptors hosted the Los Angeles Clippers, as well as NHL matches in Calgary, Ottawa, and Vancouver. Contrary to Daly’s optimistic view, during America’s first game in the 4 Nations Face-Off, fans in Montreal also booed the U.S. national anthem, with audible boos reported despite efforts by the arena’s PA announcer and Commissioner Gary Bettman to encourage respect for both nations.
Alongside the tariffs, Trump has made light of the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state. Although he attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans with minimal fanfare, it seems Canadians are not likely to stop their protests anytime soon.
