U.S. skip Dropkin says his team would be 'energized' if booed at men's curling worlds

MOOSE JAW, Sask. - With booing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" the norm at Canadian sports events in the wake of heightened tension with the U.S., organizers of the BKT World Men's Curling Championship are taking steps to try to avoid such a scenario at the Temple Gardens Centre. 

Over the course of the nine-day competition, the 13 teams in the field are each honoured with a pre-game ceremony that includes the playing of the national anthem.  

The American team skipped by Korey Dropkin was originally scheduled to be honoured on the last afternoon of round-robin play, but organizers have opted to change the time to Sunday morning when the venue will be much quieter.

"I don't know whose initiative it was to shift it actually but personally I don't really care," Dropkin said Friday after his team's one-hour practice. "I don't really have too much of an opinion on that one. Obviously I don't want to see anybody booing our national anthem. 

"But if they did, that would certainly energize us to be that much better and capitalize on that type of message."

The change to a 9 a.m. draw minimizes the chances of potential booing because there will be fewer people in the arena. 

Attendance for the morning session is usually lighter than afternoon or evening draws when spectators can be more vocal, particularly after a few beverages. 

The host Canadian team also won't be playing on Sunday morning at the 4,200-seat, four-sheet venue. 

"I love when a crowd is loud," Dropkin said. "That's what we love in sport and we need that more in our sport. We're going to appreciate it and we're going to smile and smirk even if they're booing us. 

"But either way we're just happy that they're showing up and supporting their favourite team out there."

It wasn't immediately clear who made the call to switch the time. The world championship is a World Curling competition but Curling Canada handles most of the off-ice operations at the event.

Neither organization was able to provide specifics on the eve of round-robin competition. 

Fans at hockey, basketball, soccer and baseball games have booed the American anthem in recent weeks in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's punitive tariffs and suggestions that Canada should join the country as its 51st state. 

Dropkin said the anthem booing around the sports world has been "a little bit disrespectful."

"I understand that everyone has different views and beliefs," he said. "At the end of the day, I believe that every person and community deserves to be respected and treated as they like to be treated themselves. 

"That's how I try to live my life and hope others live theirs."

Vocal renditions of "O Canada" have become the norm before games as spectators show their patriotic fervour. Curling crowds, in general, can be lively on occasion but are usually quite staid.

"(The) Team Dropkin (guys) are amazing people and I hope they don't feel disrespected here," said Glenn Howard, who won four world titles for Canada and is coaching the Switzerland team this week. "That's the last thing we want to do because that's not the intention."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 28, 2025.