Players from Major League Soccer of FC Dallas and Nashville SC were met with something angry from a small audience after they took a knee for the Black Lives Matter movement for a game Wednesday night in Frisco, Texas.
The anger came as MLS for the first time allowed a maximum of 5,000 fans to attend the match in the 20,500-seat stadium due to the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing guidelines, with rumors attending a smaller number.
“You can’t even have the support of your own fans in your own stadium,” said FC Dallas defender Reggie Cannon. “It baffles me.”
“As a team, we strive to provide the best possible product on the field, and these last six months have been absolute hell for us. Absolute hell,” he added.
Players in professional sports have for the most part taken a knee during the national anthem in an attempt to draw attention to racial injustice following the May 25 murder of unarmed African American George Floyd.
Since then, mass protests have followed, with professional sports ranging from football to baseball to hockey to basketball supporting Black Lives Matter in various forms. The demonstrations have also taken place in other countries.
Floyd’s death led to the formation of Black Players for Change by a number of MLS players.
Cannon said he anticipated some negative reaction from fans about kneeling before the national anthem.
“It hurts me because I love our fans, I love this club, and I want to see the support the league has given us, that everyone has given us, from our fans,” he said.
Nashville defeated Dallas, 1-0. The two teams play again Sunday.
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