Once again, former starter for the San Francisco 49’ers Colin Kaepernick has gained national attention. On Monday, September 3rd Nike announced their Kaepernick campaign and began selling merchandise commemorating his social justice efforts. As you may already know, back in 2016 Kaepernick became a source of controversy after taking a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice. Kaepernick’s demonstration rallied support from other celebrities and citizens as well as from some of his fellow athletes who also began to kneel in solidarity. In addition to his demonstration, Kaepernick donated $1 million to organizations that have taken strides in empowering and educating historically oppressed communities, like the Know Your Rights campaign.
However, not every American believes in the value of Kaepernick’s movement. Instead, many have argued that Kaepernick’s demonstration disrespects U.S veterans. Interestingly enough, Kaepernick’s decision to kneel rather than sit, as originally planned, was inspired by veteran and former Seattle Seahawk, Nate Boyer. Boyer respected Kaepernick’s cause and believed in his right to protest in the name of black history. He advised Kaepernick to take a knee because in combat, soldiers kneel to honor a fallen soldier. Both recognized the possible sensitivity of the situation and believed that kneeling would be the most respectful course of action.
President Trump was a notable opponent of Kaepernick’s demonstration. He publicly called for the termination of kneeling NFL players and has used Twitter as a means of turning the protest into a polarized political fight. Trump’s comments not only solidified the protest’s reputation of disrespect in the eyes of his conservative followers, but also inspired backlash from celebrities like Steph Curry who approved of Kaepernick’s mission. Since the initial demonstrations, Kaepernick has left the 49’ers following a plethora of threats directed towards him and the entirety of the NFL. Kaepernick is currently in the process of suing the NFL for allegedly blackballing him out of positions on other NFL teams.
Following their Kaepernick campaign, Nike has experienced countless threats on social media, symbolic burning of their merchandise and boycotting. But not all is lost, considering the dramatic 31% increase in sales. For some, the authenticity of Nike’s support is under question considering the company’s history of marketing social controversy and its recent donations to members of the Republican party. Withal, this spike in profit is largely contributed to the demographics of their fanbase; the majority of Nike consumers are under 35 and are more racially diverse than Trump’s conservative baby-boomer generation. Trump remains starkly against Kaepernick’s protest and has responded to Nike’s campaign with Twitter comments deploring its “terrible message.” He is adamant about his opposing position on the matter, but the president has begrudgingly admitted that U.S citizens should be free to hold differing opinions.
Amidst the revival of Kaepernick’s controversy, and his current legal battle with the NFL, the NFL has released a statement acknowledging that the issues published by his protest “deserve attention.” Nike is a major partner of the NFL, and although Nike may be involved for its own monetary benefit, their affiliation with Kaepernick seems to have persuaded the NFL to take a look at the bigger picture. The backing of such a major corporation has given a new momentum to the message behind Kaepernick’s actions. Nike’s Kaepernick campaign has reminded mainstream media that Kaepernick continues to fight in the name of the black American community.