The other national anthem controversy
A clown of a different sort triggered a publicity fright for Buffalo Wild Wings earlier this month, prompting the chain to post an apology on its website. It assured patrons the brand had not gone mad and banned the airing of the national anthem in all of its stores.
The flashpoint was the still-unexplained decision by an employee in BWW’s Eastvale, Calif., unit to turn down the sound when the anthem was played before a football game airing on the restaurant’s TVs. The crewmember asserted that the song had become too controversial, so BWW had decided to ban it chainwide.
To make matters worse for the wings concept, the incident happened on 9/11, a day when patriotism can run higher than normal.
A guest of the restaurant recorded the give-and-take with the employee and posted it on social media, triggering a firestorm.
BWW apologized, adding on its website, “This was the action of one individual and does not reflect our corporate practice. Our intent is to show game broadcasts in their entirety including the National Anthem, post-game interviews, and highlights."
The incident occurred as some restaurants are refusing to air NFL games until players and staff stop kneeling during the anthem in protest of political developments.