Fayetteville Radio: WFAY Drops Game Over Anthem Protest

A North Carolina radio station is dropping the broadcast of East Carolina's upcoming football game after 19 members of the school's marching band kneeled during the national anthem last weekend, according to The Associated Press.

WFAY 1230 AM in Fayetteville, part of the Colonial Radio Group, announced Tuesday that it would not carry the Pirates' game at South Florida scheduled for this Saturday. It will carry Pirates games in the future, however, said Colonial Radio Group President and CEO Jeff Andrulonis.

Band director William Staub, School of Music director Christopher Ulffers and College of Fine Arts and Communication dean Christopher Buddo issued a joint statement Monday saying they "regret the actions."

Andrulonis said he believes the students "absolutely have the right to protest," but added that "the appropriate way for them to do that would have been to protest before the game, not show up to the game."

"But once they don that uniform, they have a duty, they have an obligation to play and to be part of the band's performance," he said.

Andrulonis says while his is a small station in a small market, the market includes Fort Bragg, and he believes it is important to stand for the national anthem to show respect for the military.