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Anheuser Busch Responds To National Anthem Protests

DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 24: Members of the Detroit Lions take a knee during the playing of the national anthem prior to the start of the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Ford Field on September 24, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)

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Anheuser Busch has responded to the national anthem protests sweeping across the NFL.

This weekend, the beer company took calls to get a better sense of what the public really thinks about the recent wave of protests.

Over the past couple of weeks, more than 150 players have refused to stand for the National Anthem. As a response, fans have been burning jerseys, throwing away season tickets, and game day ratings have plummeted.

Fans (or former fans) are angry. The hotline received such a high volume of calls that it crashed on Friday afternoon but is back up as of Sunday night.

The hotline greets fans with a brief statement:

If you are calling with questions or comments about Anheuser-Busch’s sponsorship of the NFL, press one. At Anheuser-Busch we have a long heritage of supporting the nation’s armed forces, veterans and military dependents. The national anthem is a point of pride for our company and for the 1,100 veterans that we employ. Please feel free to share your feedback after the tone.

Anheuser Busch also released a statement this weekend.

At Anheuser-Busch we have a long heritage of supporting the institutions and values that have made America so strong. That includes our armed forces and the national anthem as well as diversity, equality and freedom of speech.  We proudly employ over 1,100 military veterans and we work every day to create an inclusive environment for all of our employees. Because only together can we achieve our dream of bringing people together for a better world.

We have many long-term sports partnerships, including our NFL sponsorship, and while we may not agree on everything, we still believe in the power of sport to bring people together and overcome their differences.

Thank you.

Bud Light is the official beer of the NFL, and is a major part of the league.

UPDATE: Anheuser Busch has released a new statement:

At Anheuser-Busch we have a long heritage of supporting the institutions and values that have made America so strong. That includes our armed forces and the national anthem as well as diversity, equality and freedom of speech. We proudly employ over 1,100 military veterans and we work every day to create an inclusive environment for all of our employees. Because only together can we achieve our dream of bringing people together for a better world.

The Anheuser-Busch phone line has always been available for consumer inquiries on a variety of topics, but we are not conducting a survey regarding our NFL sponsorship.

We have many long-term sports partnerships, including our NFL sponsorship, and while we may not agree on everything, we still believe in the power of sport to bring people together and overcome their differences. We have no plans to end our NFL sponsorship.

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