David Layzell

Nike and Kaepernick – I salute you I was astounded, delighted but astounded when Nike named Colin Kaepernick its face of the “just do it” 30-year anniversary campaign. For me it showed a moral stand taken by Nike of a truly admirable nature and one which I have not expected from Nike or from Phil Knight who, I am sure, must have sanctioned the decision. As a student of Corporate Social Responsibility, I have followed Nike with interest. They have had some bad publicity and done some bad things but have also seemed genuinely contrite and genuinely trying to be better. The nature of their business is that they are on the cutting edge of global manufacturing and supply chain challenges. That is not an easy row to plough. I don’t know that I think of them as a role model, but they may be. The Kaepernick move goes above and beyond anything I have seen . It places capitalism in the middle of social justice . Nike is a proudly capitalist organization and has showed time and time again that it seeks to optimize long term free cash flow over most other goals . In my view this is a big part of being a good company . Nike is heavily embedded in Football and NFL football, supplying game day material to the league. The NFL management has shown itself to be bone headed and inept at every point of its response to Kaepernick and the NFL clearly has some supporters who are racist and nasty and unable to separate the social justice issues from the hoopla of game day. Backing Kaepernick is not a low risk action for the bottom line and yet they did it anyway. Why? Here is my theory 1. They can see that Kaepernick is making a genuine protest, as his right and one could argue duty, and is not disrespecting the country, the flag or the military. Personally I have never seen what Kaepernick is doing as significant as say Tommie Smith at the 1968 Olympics but the more the NFL harass him the closer it gets to being as important. 2. They can see that the NFL is both a bully and a coward by seeking to bully the protesters and showing an obsequious respect for an increasingly strange president and right-wing Brahmins who own teams. By the way, I expect the NFL to cave on the collusion case soon now that the judge refused to dismiss the case. Evidence is going to be very hurtful to them even if it does not reach the full level of proof 3. They believe their slogan and are willing to stand up for it Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything or as Aaron Tippin said “you’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything” NIKE, I salute you. Kaepernick, you are a better man than I am