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NIKE

Nike: A Brief Look at Political Rights

Maxwell Collay

Arizona State University

Module One Paper

October 24, 2020

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Nike: A Brief Look at Political Rights

Collin Kaepernick was previously an NFL quarterback who played for the San Francisco

49ers. Kaepernick spurred a movement within professional sports by taking a knee during the

national anthem in response to police brutality. Those who did not attempt to understand the

peaceful protest by the quarterback took this action as Kaepernick dismissing his country and

veterans, somehow. Collin Kaepernick has not played an NFL game since January of 2017

(Streeter, 2020). The NFL has turned their backs on the talented quarterback for these actions,

however Nike has not. A lot can be said about Nikes business ethics, from the labor force that

produces the athletic shoes to their environmental impact, however how they have responded to

the Collin Kaepernick situation will make me a Nike customer for life.

“There are therefore good grounds to suppose that corporations nowadays have a more

significant impact on our lives than do the state frameworks upon which earlier rights theorists

focused their attention (Fryer, 2015).” Nike being a juggernaut in the shoe industry and a staple

in our culture standing with Kaepernick when the majority of the NFL fans did not is a huge

statement by Nike. Not only keeping Kaepernick as a Nike Athlete but including him in multiple

advertising campaigns. These advertising campaigns gave viewers a reminder of Kaepernick’s

story, beliefs and ethics. The ads also gave Kaepernick a platform when the NFL decided they

have had enough. With how Nike has absolutely dominated the shoe industry there is no question

that there would be a negative response from those who don’t agree with protesting against

systemic racism and police brutality. Disgruntled consumers began to respond by burning Nike

products and using the hashtag #BoycottNike. “Nike’s stock price fell more than two percent in

early trading Tuesday. It was the worst performing stock in the Dow Jones industrial average,

helping to drag the average to a fall for the first part of the day (Draper, Belson, 2018)
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Nike could have easily kept quiet, dropped Kaepernick and probably would have been

more profitable. Nike decided that the value of black voices out-weighs whatever controversy

would come which to me embraces the ethics theory. I’ll end with one of my favorite Nike ads

featuring Kaepernick, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

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References

Draper, K., & Belson, K. (2018, September 03). Colin Kaepernick's Nike Campaign Keeps

N.F.L. Anthem Kneeling in Spotlight. Retrieved October 25, 2020, from

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/03/sports/kaepernick-nike.html

Fryer, M. (2015). Ethics Theory & Business Practice. (1st ed). London, England. Sage Publishing

Streeter, K. (2020, June 05). Kneeling, Fiercely Debated in the N.F.L., Resonates in Protests.

Retrieved October 25, 2020, from

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/05/sports/football/george-floyd-kaepernick-kneeling-

nfl-protests.html?auth=login-email