| NEWS #WalkAwayFromNike, Bama! "Report: Nike Pulls Sneaker With ‘Betsy Ross’ Version of U.S. Flag After Colin Kaepernick Expressed Concerns"

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Nike pulled a sneaker featuring an early version of the U.S. flag off shelves after endorser Colin Kaepernick reached out to the company and expressed concerns about the design, The Wall Street Journal reports. The Air Max 1 USA, reportedly created to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday, featured an embroidered 1770s “Betsy Ross” flag with 13 stars to represent the original colonies. The design was slated to go on sale this week, but the company reportedly asked stores to return the shoes with no explanation. Sources told the WSJ that Kaepernick reached out after seeing images of the shoes online, and said he and others thought the flag was an “offensive symbol because of its connection to an era of slavery[.]”

Kaepernick reportedly declined to comment. A Nike spokeswoman said the company decided “not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag.” However, the Journal reported that some of the shoes made it onto the market—with some selling a pair for up to $2,500 on shoe selling site StockX.
 
fuck colin kaepernick....literally.....with a freight train.

if he's so dead set against pretty much anything American, then he needs to get the fuck out of my country and never return. hell, i'll help him pack. he can go to north korea and live a better life as a subject rather than a citizen. it seems he'd rather live that way, anyway.

also, fuck nike for cowering down and taking orders from ONE GODDAMN PERSON. nike is a billion dollar company who is apparently taking orders from a piece of shit, crappy quarterback who apparently hates America.
 
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Other than in previous purchases, especially with connection to Bama, I have not, since this entire fiasco started, considered buying any Nike products. This sentiment shall continue. Nike is going to let that fool dictate their product designs? Who do they think he is?
 
Just saying, there could be more to this story. Gonna hold any further comments for now.
The majority of the time I'm right with you. I'm of the opinion that the WSJ seldom hyperbolizes articles. That said, I'm not a subscriber so I don't have a lot of empirical evidence to support that thought. I believe @It Takes Eleven subscribes and could offer an opinion here.
 
Business

Nike Nixes 'Betsy Ross Flag' Sneaker After Colin Kaepernick Intervenes; Sneaker maker pulls Independence Day-themed shoe after NFL star raised concerns about symbolism

Khadeeja Safdar, Andrew Beaton

By Khadeeja Safdar and Andrew Beaton

725 words

1 July 2019

21:28

The Wall Street Journal Online

WSJO

English

Copyright 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Nike Inc. is yanking a U.S.A.-themed sneaker featuring an early American flag after NFL star-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick told the company it shouldn't sell a shoe with a symbol that he and others consider offensive, according to people familiar with the matter.

The sneaker giant created the Air Max 1 USA in celebration of the July Fourth holiday, and it was slated to go on sale this week. The heel of the shoe featured a U.S. flag with 13 white stars in a circle, a design created during the American Revolution and commonly referred to as the Betsy Ross flag.

[Related: Arizona governor pulls state aid for Nike plant over controversy]

After shipping the shoes to retailers, Nike asked for them to be returned without explaining why, the people said. The shoes aren't available on Nike's own apps and websites.

"Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag," a Nike spokeswoman said.

After images of the shoe were posted online, Mr. Kaepernick, a Nike endorser, reached out to company officials saying that he and others felt the Betsy Ross flag is an offensive symbol because of its connection to an era of slavery, the people said. Some users on social media responded to posts about the shoe with similar concerns. Mr. Kaepernick declined to comment.

Share Your Thoughts

Do you agree with Nike's decision to stop selling a shoe featuring an early American flag? Join the conversation below.

The design was created in the 1770s to represent the 13 original colonies, though there were many early versions of the America flag, according to the Smithsonian. In the 1790s, stars and bars were added to reflect the addition of Vermont and Kentucky as states. U.S. flag designs continued to change as states were admitted to the union until the 50th star, for Hawaii, was added in 1960.

In 2016, the superintendent of a Michigan school district apologized after students waved the Betsy Ross flag at a high-school football game, saying that for some it is a symbol of white supremacy and nationalism, according to Mlive.com, a local news outlet. While the flag's use isn't widespread, the local chapter of the NAACP said at the time that it has been appropriated by some extremist groups opposed to America's increasing diversity.

Mr. Kaepernick, 31 years old, last played in the National Football League in 2016, the season he began kneeling on the field during the national anthem to call attention to social injustices and racial inequality. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has gone unsigned since and, along with former teammate Eric Reid, in February settled collusion grievances that alleged the league and its teams conspired to keep them unsigned because of their outspoken political views. The settlement was for less than $10 million, The Wall Street Journal previously reported.

Last year, Nike made Mr. Kaepernick the face of an advertising campaign while he was still engaged in that dispute with the league—a risky move given Nike's role as one of the NFL's biggest partners. The campaign generated a backlash among some consumers, who began torching Nike shoes and cutting its swoosh logo out of gear. The protests were countered by expressions of support for Nike.

Since the ad was released, Nike has posted higher sales, boosted by strong demand in both the U.S. and China. In the fourth quarter, sales rose 4% to $10.18 billion. Its share price has climbed more than 15% so far this year.

At least some of the USA-themed shoes have already made their way to sneaker enthusiasts. Versions of the Air Max 1 USA were changing hands on sneaker-reselling site StockX for as much as $500 on Monday, according to the site. After this Journal article was published, the price fluctuated, with one pair fetching as much $2,000 and another as little as $140.

Write to Khadeeja Safdar at khadeeja.safdar@wsj.com and Andrew Beaton at andrew.beaton@wsj.com

Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Document WSJO000020190701ef710073l

UI Ver:24.8.0 Mod:18:52 ID:AWSPFWAUTH15
 
Nike has already taken sides with Colin several months back. They believe their main sales base is the inner city people. Our favorite teams runs out of that tunnel dressed in Crimson and White and none of it is made in the USA. We pay 80 bucks for the GameDay shirts and none of those made in the USA. Multi National companies don't give a shit what we(you) think.
 
It is what it is.... They hired and paid him for a reason, so they'd better listen to him.

As #80 said - Sales haven't taken a hit which is obviously their first priority.

So ultimately, I don't blame them. While I disagree with most of these decisions regarding CK it doesn't bother me enough to not buy it.... They make it so cheap and comfortable in China that it's too hard to pass up.
 
Nike sales and stock price are up since signing CK. I don't agree with his views or principles just stating facts.

Nike just missed expectations. Hit revenue, but wasting much more money and did not hit profit expectations, so let's see if they can keep the price from going down. Too many PR disasters like this and they will go down. Look at Tesla recently.
 
I bet he has a stockpile of those now in his closet that he will sell to fball and bball players for 10k each now that they will be collectors items.
 
Nike sales and stock price are up since signing CK. I don't agree with his views or principles just stating facts.
As #80 said - Sales haven't taken a hit which is obviously their first priority.
Saying "they're up" is a bit misleading. They've continued on their path is more like it...sales didn't take a hit. A decade ago stock was trading at 25-30 a share. It's been going up about 12 bucks a decade since. I believe it's around 85 a share now.
 
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