SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ As protesters reacting to the fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark have blocked thousands of fans from two games at Golden 1 Center since March 22, some fans and Sacramentans on Twitter asked Kings broadcaster Grant Napear why he hasn't given much input on the situation.
In a series of tweets Thursday and Friday, the longtime TV announcer was direct: He doesn't believe it's appropriate for him to address that topic.
Responding to a Twitter user who asked why he "ignored the statement about the BLM (activist group Black Lives Matter) partnership" the team made this week, Napear wrote: "Not my job. I am the play-by-play announcer."
In follow-up tweets, Napear pointed out that others on the NBC Sports California broadcast team, like sideline reporter Kayte Christensen, talked about the issue "extensively" during Thursday's pregame coverage. He elaborated: "If I spoke out on all the injustices in the world then I'd never be able to talk sports and I host a sports show. ..so not gonna happen. Sorry."
Napear did, however, comment to colleague Jerry Reynolds about the number of empty seats at Golden 1 Center at the start of the March 22 TV broadcast.
Some of his followers weren't satisfied. "It deserves discussion and leadership from all of us," Adam Keigwin tweeted at Napear. Keigwin is identified in his Twitter bio as a public affairs managing director.
Napear insists it isn't his place to join that discussion, but on Friday he tweeted out a call to action of sorts to those criticizing him.
Players on the Kings, meanwhile, wore warmup shirts that read "#StephonClark" on the back before Sunday's game, as did the visiting Boston Celtics. Kings players were also featured in a pregame video that declared: "We will not stick to sports."
Clark was shot by two Sacramento police officers the night of March 18 and died at the scene _ his grandparents' backyard _ minutes later. Tense protests downtown, at spots including Golden 1 Center and City Hall, have persisted since then. More outrage arose Friday as a private autopsy said Clark was shot six times in the back and eight times total.
The two games affected by protest saw attendance dip to about 2,400 and about 4,000 before returning to a more normal 11,360 Thursday. The most recent game benefited from extra security at Golden 1 Center.
Ramped-up measures are also planned Saturday's 7 p.m. matchup as the Kings host the Golden State Warriors. Sacramento native and former player for both the Kings and Warriors, Matt Barnes, has planned a rally that starts noon at Cesar Chavez Plaza.
