*By Britt Terrell*
The NFL's decision to require players to stand when they are on the field during the national anthem was in part influenced by President Trump's comments that football players kneeling to protest police brutality should be fired.
"He really stirred the pot and created a real mess and almost, really, threw dirt in the faces of the NFL players," said Frank Zaccanelli, CEO of Fiamma Partners and former president of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.
In an interview Thursday with Cheddar, Zaccanelli cited Trump's comments at a political rally last year in Huntsville, Ala., when the president said players were "ruining the game."
Trump piled on the day after the NFL announced its new policy, saying in an interview on "Fox and Friends" on Thursday that anyone who does not stand during the anthem, "[maybe they shouldn't be in the country](https://twitter.com/foxandfriends/status/999599639996313600)."
The NFL Players Association [criticized](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/389018-nfl-players-association-criticizes-new-league-policy-on-kneeling) the league and the teams' owners for not consulting with the union before deciding on the new policy, which calls for teams to be fined if players kneel, but allows them to stay in the locker room during the anthem.
“NFL players have shown their patriotism through their social activism, their community service, in support of our military and law enforcement and yes, through their protests to raise awareness about the issues they care about,” the NFLPA said in a [statement](https://twitter.com/NFLPA/status/999325257403002881/photo/1).
"That is the canyon-wide split that's going on inside the NFL and it's not good for the game, it's not good for the fans," said Zaccanelli. "How could you possibly have done this without talking to the players' association? I think that's a big mistake by the owners."
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/nfls-new-anthem-policy).
SeatGeek co-founder Russ D'Souza says that, despite lower ratings and bad PR, NFL ticket prices remain the highest of all pro sports, and he doesn't see that changing anytime soon.
The professional equestrian and daughter of former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says bringing the Riders Masters Cup to the city was "a dream come true."
The world's top equestrians gathered in New York City for the inaugural Longine Masters event. Professional Equestrian Georgina Bloomberg explains how this event brings the competition to the masses, through its Rider Masters Cup.
Professional dancer Sharna Burgess paired up with Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman for the new "Dancing With the Stars: Athletes." Having sports stars in the mix increases the competition level because they're "used to winning at what they do," says Burgess. The new season premieres Monday on ABC.
The former Major League Baseball MVP tells Cheddar that these days there are many players who can hit as well as he did, so he's happy to watch from the sidelines.
A lot of times athletes need financial education before they are able to turn their paychecks into long-term investments, says Frank Zacca, managing director of Octagon, a wealth management firm that works with elite sports stars.
A total of 72,000 gamers qualified for the 17-week long video game competition, and only 102 -- "the elite of the elite" -- made the final cut, says Brendan Donohue, managing director of the League.
The obstacle race organizer had to be tough enough to convince the rapper to skip his own workout routine, said Rich Abend, VP of Global Partnerships. "[Flo Rida] happens to be an incredibly fit person," he said.
Matt Barnes, who won the NBA Championship with the Golden State Warriors last year, says professional athletes shouldn't be punished for using marijuana and that he actually played his best when high.
The NBA team was one of 17 teams to take part in the first-ever NBA 2K league draft earlier this month, where top video game ballers were selected to compete in an eSports championship.
