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Tulsa Athletic of the National Premier Soccer League announced Wednesday it will no longer play the national anthem before matches and will replace it with "This Land Is Your Land."

The club issued a statement about the move:

"Tulsa Athletic's mission is to create an inclusive community through the game of soccer. After carefully reviewing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' lyrics and meaning, including the third verse which mentions 'No refuge could save the hireling and slave / From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave…,' Tulsa Athletic came to the decision that the song does not align with the club’s core values. While this verse is rarely sung, Tulsa Athletic does not believe 'The Star-Spangled Banner' represents or unites their diverse players, fans and community."

Bruce Arena, who has coached the United States men's national team and multiple MLS clubs, questioned last week whether "The Star-Spangled Banner" had a place in U.S. pro sports:

Protests are ongoing across the country as Americans demand reforms and change centered around systemic racism and social inequality.

According to ESPN's Luke Cyphers and Ethan Trex, the playing of the national anthem at sporting events happened as far back as the mid-1800s. The practice became more mainstream starting with MLB's 1918 World Series.

In Wednesday's statement, Tulsa Athletic co-owner Sonny Dalesandro said he thought "This Land Is Your Land" was a better fit for the club because it "not only captures a powerful patriotic sentiment, but that it does so in a far more inclusive way."