[super7man]

These CEOs stupidity amazes me. They have a product the want to market and sell. Taking sides in any controversial topic will obviously alienate some portion of your clientele. This can be done, if the net gain of supporters benefits the sales, ala Chick-filet. BUT taking a side, then apologizing for it, is doubly stupid. Now you have alienated your entire clientele. Generally, people do not come back after being "dissed".

If advertising with the NFL was bad business, you quietly get off that horse and get on another one. There is no point in shooting the horse you got off.

Now, there IS the problem of the CEO trying to place blame and make excuses for other problems in the business. BUT blaming the NFL then reversing it, is just swirling down the drain.

[Arm_Bears]

I had a wise old Psychology/Marketing professor years ago who warned us of the dangers of injecting one’s enterprise into the political arena.

His conclusion, based on 20+ years of industry consulting, was that taking a side in a political debate likely will not win you customers, but certainly will cost you customers.

Forty years later, current events validate that observation.