It91裸聊视频檚 been a decades-long tradition in North America, but a Canadian professor of sport management says it might be time to re-examine the legitimacy of national anthems being played before games.

Last weekend, sports fans in Canada voiced their displeasure with U.S. President Donald Trump91裸聊视频檚 announcement he was raising tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports by 25 per cent. In hockey and basketball arenas across the country, they roundly booed the American national anthem before games.

On Monday, Trump agreed to pause the tariffs for one month. That night, Nashville, Tenn., fans returned the favour before the Predators lost to Ottawa 5-2.

On Tuesday, boos continued before NHL games in Vancouver and Winnipeg as well as Toronto91裸聊视频檚 Scotiabank Arena before the Raptors-New York Knicks contest.

The spectator angst created headlines worldwide. And it reignited the long-standing debate of whether anthems belong in North American sport.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 a great question, it91裸聊视频檚 definitely timely and topical,91裸聊视频� said Michael Naraine, an associate professor at Brock University. 91裸聊视频淚 do think it91裸聊视频檚 time we look at, 91裸聊视频楧o we need to play the national anthem before a game?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

While the anthem firestorm is smouldering, it could rage again Feb. 15 when Canada and U.S. meet in Montreal at the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.

Both anthems have been performed before games for decades, starting as a gesture of solidarity for the troops fighting alongside one another during the Second World War. But singing The Star-Spangled Banner before games south of the border reportedly dates back to the late 1800s.

Naraine said the American military had a role in the anthem being played before U.S. sports events.

91裸聊视频淲hat many people don91裸聊视频檛 realize is part of the reason, at least in the United States, why the national anthems were traditionally played was because they were paid advertisements by the U.S. military,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭he U.S. Department of Defense, through its various arms like the Army, Navy, etc., would have contracts with major professional sports leagues to play the national anthem, have the military salute, colour guard and things of that nature.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 always been this, I wouldn91裸聊视频檛 call it a dual helix but I91裸聊视频檇 call it the intertwining of patriotism, the military complex and sport in North America.91裸聊视频�

Trevor Harrison, a retired political sociologist at the University of Lethbridge, feels eliminating national anthems will be difficult.

91裸聊视频淰ery much so,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚f you suddenly said, 91裸聊视频楪ood evening folks, we have this game tonight, let91裸聊视频檚 drop the puck,91裸聊视频� I think many people would say, 91裸聊视频楯ust a second here,91裸聊视频� because we91裸聊视频檙e so used to it.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 almost like a Pavlovian kind of response.91裸聊视频�

Offensive lineman Ryan Hunter of the Toronto Argonauts welcomes hearing O Canada before games. After an extended time playing football in the U.S., the North Bay, Ont., native appreciates the chance to hear his own anthem again.

91裸聊视频淚 grew up listening to (O Canada) every day at school and also in sports,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 just something I enjoy and appreciate as part of my pre-game ritual.

91裸聊视频淚 will say, man, if someone knocks out the national anthem with, say, a guitar or just good vocals, there91裸聊视频檚 nothing that sets the stage better for a big game than a national anthem that gets the people going 91裸聊视频� it91裸聊视频檚 always something you remember if you were there.91裸聊视频�

When Hunter, 29, was in the U.S., the playing of the American anthem was a time for reflection.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a thank you to that country for allowing you to participate in professional sports or high-level sports in their country,91裸聊视频� said Hunter, the CFL91裸聊视频檚 top lineman last season. 91裸聊视频淚 think it91裸聊视频檚 a good thing to hear to remind you of where you come from.91裸聊视频�

As does former NHLer Nick Kypreos 91裸聊视频� who played for Washington, Hartford, the New York Rangers and Toronto from 1986-97.

91裸聊视频淚 think most of us (pro athletes) are totally on board with that,91裸聊视频� said the 58-year-old Toronto native, who earned a 91裸聊视频�94 Stanley Cup ring with the Rangers. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e been listening to music for an hour in the dressing room, then we shut the music off and we get serious, everything is focused and ramped up.

91裸聊视频淭hen you go out there and it91裸聊视频檚 a chance for a few minutes just to reflect. It91裸聊视频檚 always been part of the fabric since I can first remember and if they took it out, are they taking it out for the right reasons?91裸聊视频�

Kypreos has always appreciated hearing both anthems before games.

91裸聊视频淵ou never forget where you came from, where home is, family,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 always thought two anthems was the right thing to do.

91裸聊视频淎gain, if it91裸聊视频檚 one last chance just to calm things down before everything gets crazy at puck drop, I always appreciated it.91裸聊视频�

Naraine said while other countries also play their anthems before games, it91裸聊视频檚 usually reserved for playoff and international encounters or those played on important holidays.

91裸聊视频淚n Australia with Australian Rules Football, each team has its own fight song and they play that as the team comes out on to the field,91裸聊视频� Naraine said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 the same thing with American college football or some NFL teams where they play their fight songs.

91裸聊视频淲e don91裸聊视频檛 have that in hockey so we kind of adopted the national anthem.91裸聊视频�

Harrison suggests Canada91裸聊视频檚 anthem angst was fanned by Trump91裸聊视频檚 earlier talk of making the country the U.S.91裸聊视频檚 51st state.

91裸聊视频淢any Canadians were really incensed by that,91裸聊视频� Harrison said. 91裸聊视频淪o how do you vent both your sense of pride but also to show the other side how angry you really are?

91裸聊视频淪ports becomes the venue for that. It would be nice if people as individuals and teams just competed on some other kind of level but the intertwining of all of these things together probably makes that quite impossible.91裸聊视频�

As for why anthems are such a hot-button topic, both academics agree: Sport is political.

91裸聊视频淚t has become political because it91裸聊视频檚 used by various actors for those political purposes,91裸聊视频� Harrison said. 91裸聊视频淲hen a shipyard opens and a ship is set for launch, there are those who want to be there for the photo opportunity.

91裸聊视频淧oliticians also want to be there every time there91裸聊视频檚 a sporting event even though they couldn91裸聊视频檛 throw a football 10 yards 91裸聊视频� it91裸聊视频檚 kind of a way of reflectively showing their patriotism but also connecting with the fanbase, many of whom view sports in a kind of hyper-sense as attached to their identity.91裸聊视频�

Canadians are guilty of the latter, especially regarding the country91裸聊视频檚 place on hockey91裸聊视频檚 world stage. And at no time was Canada91裸聊视频檚 identity more threatened than during the 91裸聊视频�72 Summit Series versus the former Soviet Union.

91裸聊视频淵ou think about the 1972 Canada-Russia series in the context of the Cold War,91裸聊视频� Harrison said. 91裸聊视频淭his is basically saying our system is better than yours and we produced better athletes and Canadians are incredibly proud of that moment, (Paul) Henderson and all that.

91裸聊视频淲e can forgive many things, including Bobby Clarke91裸聊视频檚 most horrible destruction of (Soviet star Valeri) Kharlamov91裸聊视频檚 ankle (in Game 6) but it was like, 91裸聊视频楾his is war,91裸聊视频� and that91裸聊视频檚 how people viewed it. We as fans, many of those sports are so attached to our sense of who we are, our sense of identity and so it91裸聊视频檚 easy for politicians to also play on that.

91裸聊视频淒onald Trump will go to the Super Bowl (Sunday) even though I don91裸聊视频檛 think he gives a damn about it. But he91裸聊视频檒l go because, 91裸聊视频楳y folks love it.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�