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Critics blast NFL: Black Anthem played outside stadium 'is exactly the message they want to send'

Black Anthem played by the duo Mary Mary outside the stadium at Super Bowl LVI earned mixed reactions, fans call out NFL for bias

The fact that the Black National Anthem was sung outside the stadium at Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, February 13, while the Star-Spangled Banner was performed indoors in front of thousands of cheering fans has triggered several Black activists. The NFL has yet to explain why the duo of Mary Mary was sent off to the parking lot to perform a rendition of the Black national anthem ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’.
 
Critics called out NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for the bias and are angry and hurt with the whole situation. “Anyone else feeling a bit disrespected they have Mary Mary singing the Black National Anthem outside the stadium,” one critic wrote, while another said: “Public relations didn’t think about the optics.”

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Viewers present at the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium between the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams, took to social media to express their disappointment, “Why y’all got Mary Mary singing the Black National anthem outside of the stadium? That was totally disrespectful, and not knowing y’all going through discrimination toward black coaches. Who idea was this,” one angry viewer wrote.
 
Another NFL fan said, “Call me crazy — not sure a separate but equal national anthem for black people before the game is sending the right message. Especially when the singers are in a parking lot outside the stadium and no one knows the words.” The 56 Sunday Super Bowl garnered a range of different reactions from fans and viewers while a lot of them felt utterly disrespected with the performance outside the stadium, there were also those who appreciated the gesture.

 And others pushed for more inclusion through the Asian-American national anthem, the Hispanic-American national anthem, and the Native American national anthem.

A Twitter user wrote, “The Black National anthem being sung from OUTSIDE the stadium at the #SuperBowl is exactly the message they want to send!”. And then there were others who wondered why everyone can’t be happy with just one national Anthem for a country.

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