ESPN Fayetteville Isn't Airing ECU's Upcoming Game Because Members Of Their Band Kneeled During The National Anthem

ECU Band members kneeling during the National Anthem. #ECUvsUCF #GoPirates #BeatUCF pic.twitter.com/ggQcvBEibH

— Pirate Radio (@pirateradio1250) October 1, 2016

SportingNews- A Fayetteville, N.C., radio station has decided it won't air the East Carolina University football game this weekend after members of the university's band joined the national anthem protest and kneeled while it played.

The band received plenty of backlash, including some from ECU officials who claimed they "regret the actions" taken by the band. Now, ESPN Fayetteville — whose signal reaches nearby Fort Bragg — says it won't be carrying Saturday's ECU game against South Florida, and instead it will "protest the protest."

"The band members could have quietly protested in the early morning hours before the game. But that would have required them to wake up early. So instead they chose to make a spectacle of themselves in front of the big crowd at Dowdy-Ficklen," Jeff Andrulonis, the CEO of Colonial Media and Entertainment, which owns the station, said in a statement. "They’re college students and it’s about time they get an education on the concept that their actions have consequences. And the consequence in this case is that the ECU Pirates will not be heard on ESPN Fayetteville this weekend.” 



​BURNED! Bet those band geeks will really think twice about publicly acknowledging ever present racial injustices now that their actions have cost the football team the ability to be broadcasted locally via transistor radio. No doubt that they have finally taken a moment to reflect on their decision to kneel in opposition of oppression. How could they not when all seven ECU diehards that still tune in on their FM dials like it's 1963 will no longer have the opportunity to listen to their game against USF from the back of their pickup truck on Saturday afternoon? Lazy ass dorks couldn't wake up early and let their feelings on detrimental societal issues be known before anyone was actually in the stadium then this is what they get -  a  "protest of the protest". You make a spectacle of yourself by implying that prejudice still exists in this country then the company that transmits the audio produced by you taking a knee will respond with a boycott that you probably wouldn't know was taking place if it wasn't for a press release.

Seriously, can you think of a better way to let a couple clarinet players know that "disrespecting the flag" is unacceptable than by denying your loyal audience the ability to hear the football game they are playing music prior to? Sure, it seems like an awful business decision, but sometimes you just have to sacrifice listenership for the greater good of getting petty revenge against an innocent third party. About time these college students learned a thing or two about accountability. You dishonor the military by not standing at the attention of the American flag and/or shedding a tear on behalf of the troops during the National Anthem then the heroes at ESPN Fayetteville will make sure that the people that support the team you represent will feel their wrath. I would imagine those at Fort Bragg are already prepping to hold a ceremony commemorating the brave gesture by the fine folks of the flagship station for ECU football. After all, not even taking overseas tours in defense of our country is as courageous as voluntarily pissing off a bunch of football fans in the South.