Nike has sensationally unveiled Colin Kaepernick as the central face of their new ad campaign, one that marks the 30th anniversary of their iconic ‘Just Do It‘ slogan.
[jwplayer uhR6V6TN]
Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback at the centre of a raft of legal cases that’s almost assuredly going to rattle the very core of the league’s institutional whiteness, was not only revealed to be the face of the campaign, but a very well-paid one at that.
BREAKING: Nike had been paying Colin Kaepernick all along, waiting for the right moment. That moment is now, as he becomes the face of the company’s 30th anniversary of the “Just Do It” campaign. pic.twitter.com/uccpDStbq5
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 3, 2018
Not only is Kaepernick being paid a multi-million dollar deal – in line with other “star” players – despite being effectively blacklisted by every NFL side and subsequently forced out of the league in his athletic prime, but it was revealed that Nike never actually dropped Kaepernick as a sponsored athlete; they’d been paying him quietly in the background, effectively biding their time until the most opportune moment to launch him as a significant face of the company.
That time is particularly apt right now, with an arbiter ruling that Kaepernick’s collusion case, which he is bringing against the NFL and its franchise owners, can proceed to a full hearing, much to the NFL’s chagrin.
That hearing, should it wind up in Kaepernick’s favour, would net him an extremely significant payday and cause severe embarrassment for the NFL and its owners at best, and at its most extreme could provide cause for the NFL’s Player’s Association to dissolve the current collective bargaining agreement.
Kaepernick, an outspoken advocate for America’s black community and, in particular, the systemic economic hardships, disproportionate imprisonment, and police brutality inflicted upon its people, began kneeling during the pre-game National Anthem in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. That sparked a wave of flustered outrage from conservative (white) pundits that went as high up as President Trump, resulting in Kaepernick being effectively exiled and the league introducing bizarre rules that all-but force players to stand during the anthem from this season forward.
Predictably, idiots on social media incredibly angered by this man exercising his right to free speech have been showing their displeasure by either burning Nike gear or cutting off the logo.
Our Soundman just cut the Nike swoosh off his socks. Former marine. Get ready @Nike multiply that by the millions. pic.twitter.com/h8kj6RXe7j
— John Rich🇺🇸 (@johnrich) September 3, 2018
https://twitter.com/F3Moist/status/1036752258531295233
https://twitter.com/boudreau_dr/status/1036717910637654022
Yeah that’ll show those ’em. Owning the libs by destroying clothing items you’ve already paid for.
Bloody got them.
