Midlands restaurant becomes 2nd in SC to cancel NFL package over anthem controversy

Another South Carolina bar has joined the boycott of the NFL Sunday package.

Lucky’s Burger Shack in Irmo posted on Monday to Facebook a picture of their road sign that stated the restaurant was canceling the NFL Sunday package. The sign added, “United We Stand.”

Though the picture was not accompanied by a caption, the restaurant’s manager told WIS10 that the decision came after speaking with their customers.

The statement issued to WIS stressed that the bar agreed that there “are many issues across our great country that need to be addressed.” But it stated that the decision by the NFL’s players to kneel and the “media frenzy” that followed “seem to be fanning the fires of discontent.”

“In summary, at Lucky’s Burger Shack, we choose to stand for our flag, kneel for the fallen, pray for our country, and respect and welcome everyone equally,” the statement read.

Lucky’s is not the first bar to take this decision in South Carolina.

The Palmetto Restaurant and Ale House in Greenville turned off all NFL games on Sept. 24, and promoted the night as “Sunday Funday without the NFL.”

The restaurant owner said the response by his patrons was mainly positive.

“I’ve been told today that I’m unAmerican because I don’t support the players when they kneel,” he posted on Facebook. “People, I support your right to kneel and at the the same time I support my right to disagree with you, I support my right to tell you and I support my decision on what I want to see on my TV’s. I’m not at your house changing your channel.”

After the kneeling protests spread, AT&T’s DirecTV offered refunds for its $300-a-season NFL Sunday Ticket package to at least some of those offended.

The protests spread among hundreds of players, after President Donald Trump told supporters in September that owners should fire players who kneel during the anthem. Trump’s words reignited the movement started by former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick over his view of police mistreatment of black men.

In upcoming meetings with team owners, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is set to consider changes to the game manual that would state players “should” stand during the national anthem. Trump has praised the move.

This story was originally published October 12, 2017 at 7:04 AM.