The fan strikes back - cross Saints supporter sues his NFL team over player protests

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, right, is sacked by Los Angeles Rams linebacker Samson Ebukam. Photo / AP

The mass player protest before American professional sports matches has taken a new twist with a fan suing his NFL team for ruining the entertainment.

Lee Dragna is taking the New Orleans Saints to court saying he would not have bought season tickets for his family had he known the players would use games "as a platform for protests".

The Saints have yet to comment but a source gave a strongly worded response saying the club was "taking this very seriously, and this fan best have his facts in order" ESPN reported.

"The Saints will come back at this fan who has brought forth incorrect information in his statement with everything to defend the team, organisation and players," the source is claimed to have said.

The protests, started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, have seen players taking a knee during the anthem in an effort to highlight social inequality and police brutality.

The lawsuit states players were "apparently ... following the lead of Colin Kaepernick by disrespecting the flag, the Anthem, the USA and those who have served and are serving the USA in our military."

Initially reported by the New Orleans Advocate, the lawsuit claims Saints owner Tom Benson and coach Sean Payton had condoned the protests and that players refused to take the field until after the national anthem before a home game.

Saints running back Mark Ingram tweeted a response to Dragna's actions saying "good luck dude".

Ingram and nine other players knelt before the anthem during an away game after President Donald Trump was derisory about the player protests. Since then, they have knelt before the anthem, and stood during it.

The one time we protested an anthem was an away game. After a team meeting we decided to kneel as one BEFORE the anthem was played and STAND united as one DURING the anthem! Good luck dude ✌🏾 https://t.co/28huwGP0Pu

— Mark Ingram II (@markingram21) December 13, 2017