BC-FBN-PLASCHKE-COLUMN:LA — sports, itop (750 words)
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LOS ANGELES — This latest bit of football flag-wringing really isn’t complicated.
The NFL is a private corporation that has decided players protesting the national anthem, in public, while in uniform, is bad for business.
The NFL is also a publicly consumed entity that doesn’t want to be viewed as completely stifling freedom of expression.
So, on Wednesday, NFL owners approved a new national anthem policy that requires players to stand when they are on the field but gives them the option to remain in the locker room without repercussion.