Trump and NFL boycott

[BobTheCoward]

I bet Nike looked long and hard at this. I'm sure they did their due diligence and decided that they have a lot more to gain on this than to lose. Who buys their shoes? I bet rural Rednecks have never been a big part of their customer base.

Which reminds me. Yesterday I stopped at a yard sale West of Eugene Oregon. I pulled into the driveway and saw some stereotypical Trump voters. Single wide Trailer on about 2 acres with junk everywhere. Run down beater car and lifted pickup, both with Trump stickers. The truck had two flags in the rear stake holes, one a confederate flag and the other an American flag. The rear window of the truck had the image of an assault rifle across the back.

Hard to say. It is extremely difficult to ask people at a large company to remain "apolitical" and profit maximizing on the question "our some of my employees lesser people because of nation of birth, gender preference, and race?" It is likely a fundamental conflict with how they view the staff.

 

[Slings and Arrows]

In any case, given how they normally react to this sort of things, I look forward to conservatives walking around barefoot because they set their only pair of shoes on fire to "boycott Nike".

Good news for Under Armour. Jordan Spieth is no doubt smiling bigly.

 

[Firestone]

In any case, given how they normally react to this sort of things, I look forward to conservatives walking around barefoot because they set their only pair of shoes on fire to "boycott Nike".

Of course some will!

 

[Brainster]

It will be interesting to see how Nike plays this--are they going to give us lots of ads with Kaep during NFL football games? That would certainly show their conviction in him and his cause. Or are they going to bury the ads in those silly daytime chat shows that ESPN airs in the afternoon?

I will point out that 32 other companies (also known as NFL teams) have decided they do not want him as a spokesman (or in any other capacity). That said, you would have a hard time proving that Nike has made a lot of mistakes in their history. The company rose to prominence because of the quality of their product--I remember my first pair of Nikes lasted me two years, where for most of my life I had been lucky to get more than about 5 months from sneakers, but the market quickly caught up to them in quality, and that was when they started becoming known for their savvy and prescient marketing. The Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan deals were stunning at the time for how much money Nike gave them, but turned out to be bargain prices over the years.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Nike likely figured more young black men buy Nikes than alt-right Nazis and other assorted Trumpers.

 

[Slings and Arrows]

I will point out that 32 other companies (also known as NFL teams) have decided they do not want him as a spokesman (or in any other capacity).

Insane advertising strategy. Unless they are planning to launch a new product line: 'Nike Knee Pads'.

 

[Upchurch]

Insane advertising strategy. Unless they are planning to launch a new product line: 'Nike Knee Pads'.

Maybe someone at Nike is just a student of history and has a pretty good idea about how this is likely to play out in the long run.

 

[acbytesla]

Hard to say. It is extremely difficult to ask people at a large company to remain "apolitical" and profit maximizing on the question "our some of my employees lesser people because of nation of birth, gender preference, and race?" It is likely a fundamental conflict with how they view the staff.

I have no idea what you're talking about...AGAIN.

 

[Mumbles]

Insane advertising strategy. Unless they are planning to launch a new product line: 'Nike Knee Pads'.

They probably make those already, since they're makers of a variety of athletic products.

"Rebellion" has always been a part of Nike's brand along side that, striving for success blah blah, and Kaepernick is a fairly obvious example of a "sacrifice for what you believe in" style of rebel.

 

[Mumbles]

Nike likely figured more young black men buy Nikes than alt-right Nazis and other assorted Trumpers.

Those guys tried to make New Balance their official shoe brand a while back, since they're "Made in the US" and all.

New Balance, however, wanted nothing to do with them.

 

[Slings and Arrows]

Maybe someone at Nike is just a student of history and has a pretty good idea about how this is likely to play out in the long run.

It's hard to imagine Trump's army of supporters ever buying a product with Colin Kaepernick's face on the box. And many of them, until now, have been loyal customers. History has shown that politicizing a product usually suppresses market share.

 

[BobTheCoward]

I have no idea what you're talking about...AGAIN.

You said they most likely weighed the gaisn and losses.

I'm saying maybe not. One side in this debate feel a good portion of Nike's 74,000 employees are inferior because of traits established at conception (current Republicans are calling inferior minorities, women, gays, and foreigners). Regardless of how much gain there is by remaining neutral on the question, it is very hard for members of a company to take that position.

 

[Mumbles]

It's hard to imagine Trump's army of supporters ever buying a product with Colin Kaepernick's face on the box. And many of them, until now, have been loyal customers. History has shown that politicizing a product usually suppresses market share.

I was horrified when MTV started showing music videos by negroes.

And when Coca-Cola demanded that MLK Jr's Nobel Prize ceremony not be segregated.

But I got over it.

(Why yes, I am absolutely equating people who tacitly support racial police violence with segregationists and other white supremacists.)

 

[Archie Gemmill Goal]

Im amazed in all this that we have the left embracing sweatshop running evil multinational empire Nike and the right protesting free speech, capitalism and an American icon.

My take... its a fairly cynical and obvious move by Nike to reconnect with their target market. Driven by $$$. They bavent suddenly developed a conscience or a deep seated love of people of colour.

 

[BobTheCoward]

Im amazed in all this that we have the left embracing sweatshop running evil multinational empire Nike and the right protesting free speech, capitalism and an American icon.

My take... its a fairly cynical and obvious move by Nike to reconnect with their target market. Driven by $$$. They bavent suddenly developed a conscience or a deep seated love of people of colour.

I haven't seen an embrace. All I have seen on the support side is statements they made the right decision.

 

[Mumbles]

Im amazed in all this that we have the left embracing sweatshop running evil multinational empire Nike and the right protesting free speech, capitalism and an American icon.

As opposed to the socialist NFL, or the impartial Ferguson police (and other fair and restrained PDs across the country)?

I'm aware of what Nike is doing - but I see no downside for me or Kaepernick in this case.

 

[Slings and Arrows]

I was horrified when MTV started showing music videos by negroes.

And when Coca-Cola demanded that MLK Jr's Nobel Prize ceremony not be segregated.

But I got over it.

(Why yes, I am absolutely equating people who tacitly support racial police violence with segregationists and other white supremacists.)

This has nothing to do with "negroes", as you put it. Trump supporters were loyal customers when Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan were the face of Nike. But with bench-warmer Colin Kaepernick down on bended knee politicizing their product, that's a dog that won't hunt -- or complete a pass.

 

[Ziggurat]

I'm aware of what Nike is doing - but I see no downside for me or Kaepernick in this case.

Of course there isn't a downside for Kaepernick. His NFL career is over. He might as well collect another paycheck, and I certainly don't begrudge him that.

There may, however, be a downside for Nike and the NFL. We shall see.

 

[acbytesla]

You said they most likely weighed the gaisn and losses.

I'm saying maybe not. One side in this debate feel a good portion of Nike's 74,000 employees are inferior because of traits established at conception (current Republicans are calling inferior minorities, women, gays, and foreigners). Regardless of how much gain there is by remaining neutral on the question, it is very hard for members of a company to take that position.

Your wrong.

 

[acbytesla]

Im amazed in all this that we have the left embracing sweatshop running evil multinational empire Nike and the right protesting free speech, capitalism and an American icon.

My take... its a fairly cynical and obvious move by Nike to reconnect with their target market. Driven by $$$. They bavent suddenly developed a conscience or a deep seated love of people of colour.

Wow. Such absurdity. I don't buy Nike shoes. Of course they are trying to reach their target audience. I'm just happy for Kaepernick. I approve of people getting involved in the political process. And I didnt like seeing him become a martyr for his cause.