Posted on 09/03/2018 4:55:49 PM PDT by Ennis85
An American football star who sparked a furore by kneeling during the national anthem has been unveiled as the new face of a major advertising campaign.
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick will front Nike's "Just Do It" 30th anniversary campaign, reports said.
In 2016 Kaepernick refused to stand for the anthem in protest at police violence against African-Americans.
Many other players followed suit but the protest has divided the country.
President Donald Trump has called players who "disrespect" the US flag "sons of bitches" and called for them to be sacked.
The Nike adverts show Kaepernick with the slogan: "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything."
Kaepernick is one of a number of sports stars - including National Football League (NFL) players Odell Beckham Jr and Shaquem Griffin, as well as tennis star Serena Williams - to appear in the 30th anniversary "Just Do It" campaign.
On Monday the star posted the advert and the slogan on his Twitter account.
Gino Fisanotti, Nike's vice president of brand for North America, was quoted by cable sports network ESPN as saying: "We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward."
Kaepernick, 30, signed a sponsorship deal with Nike in 2011 and has been kept on its payroll throughout the kneeling controversy, ESPN reported.
The player opted out of his contract with the 49ers in 2017 and has not played since. He is currently suing the NFL claiming he is being kept out of the league because of his part in the protests.
In May this year, the NFL announced that players who knelt for the national anthem would be fined under a new policy.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Well, I am in the market for new tennis shoes. This is good information to know.
Does Academy Sports still sell New Balance?
Then it would be nice if Tiger Woods would drop his endorsement of Nike products, but I doubt it.
His face looks more like the north end of a southbound donkey.
I’m following Nancy Reagan’s advice: Just say no to Nike.
“Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
I believe in boycotting Nike. However, sacrifice nothing.
Q: Do the companies doing all this virtue signaling have the same institutional investors in common...?
Just curious.
Great way for them to lose half of their potential customers.
Nike also owns CONVERSE.
.
.
I really like my Nike shoes. But the second I read this, I went immediately to Adidas and purchased a new pair instead. I will not be purchasing anymore Nike products.
And Converse.
.
Is he even a good player ?
excellent question.
Well put!
Thanks for letting us know. I didn’t know that.
Nike swoosh & the stock, currently around $72.00 a share, are going to take a hit.
Not even close to a good player.
Not sure what most sneaker wearing kids think of Kaepernick, but I bet a lot of sneaker wearing adults, and adults paying for their kids’ sneakers, will have some opinions about this.
Will be interesting to watch.
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