This year, when the national anthem is played before an LSU football game, there will be a grand ceremony on the field, but the LSU Tigers will not be seen.
LSU announced this week that it would not change its longstanding pregame routine of having the team remain in the locker room during the playing of the national anthem, despite a request from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) that players remain on the field for the duration of the game. Stars and stripes.
“There will be no changes to our pregame football process this season,” LSU Athletics spokesman Zach Greenwell said. said Louisiana Illuminator (via WBZR)
The issue of having players present during the national anthem came to light earlier this year when observers noted that the LSU women's basketball team was not on the court for the anthem prior to a playoff game against the Caitlin Clark-led Iowa Hokies. However, Iowa was on the court for the anthem. They portrayed the Tigers in a negative light to the public and caught the attention of Governor Landry.
“All university boards, including the Regents, [sic]”There should be a policy that student athletes must participate in the national anthem or lose their athletic scholarship! This is a matter of respect that should be instilled by all college coaches,” Landry wrote to X.
According to translation“The Tigers' pregame routine remains much the same today as it was in the 1960s and 1970s. Fifteen minutes before kickoff, LSU's “Golden Band from Tigerland” lines up in the south end zone of the stadium. The band takes to the field and plays “Tiger Rag,” an old jazz standard adopted by the university, followed by the school song and finally the national anthem.”
Only after all this will the team take to the field.
LSU athletic director Scott Woodward said the school “regularly reviews its policies,” and some felt the school may change its policies in this case after Landry's social media posts.
But after the furor over the Women's Final Four died down, the university rejected any changes.
