Melvin says the decision is more about letting the other team know that the black and orange are ready to play.
He adds that the same rules applied during his time as manager with the A's and the Padres.
VIDEO: Giants introduce Bay Area native Bob Melvin as new manager
Giants introduce Bay Area native Bob Melvin as new manager
Melvin occasionally cracked down if he noticed a lack of participation during the national anthem.
He says the team is embracing the policy change.
Bob Melvin, a Bay Area native and former Giants player who also managed a decade in Oakland, was formally announced as San Francisco's new manager last October, replacing Gabe Kapler.