Colorado Sports Store Liquidates All Nike Gear After Colin Kaepernick Ad
An athletic store in Colorado is permanently liquidating all of its Nike sneakers, apparel, and other gear after the sports brand made NFL star Colin Kaepernick the new face of its “Just Do It” ad campaign.
The slogan for the new ad campaign is “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.”
Stephen Martin, the owner of Prime Time Sports in the greater Denver area, slashed the prices for all the Nike gear in his store as part of a move to liquidate the entire inventory. Martin has owned the store for the past 21 years.
A large sign on the window of Prime Time Sports reads, “All Nike 1/2 Price — Still Choosing to Stand, Just Doing It,” KRDO News reported.
Martin: ‘Nike Is The Mother Of All Harlots’
Martin does not plan to restock the Nike inventory. He said he knows his business may suffer if he refuses to sell Nike gear going forward, but he doesn’t care.
Martin said he’s disgusted with the selection of Colin Kaepernick as the new face of Nike’s “Just Do It” ad, saying the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback doesn’t deserve the honor because he has sacrificed nothing compared to the brave men and women who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The only thing kapenick sacrificed was his NFL career because he doesn’t have the respect to stand up for people who made the ultimate sacrifice like Pat Tillman, if nike wants to get my support back they can put a real patriot like Pat Tillman on this cover, not a has been… pic.twitter.com/Th26vg4FTu
— jared carrasco (@_carrasco_44_) September 4, 2018
“According to me, he has sacrificed a salary,” Martin told KRDO. “Nothing compared to what every soul on our ‘Honor the Flag’ memorial wall that was built a few years ago has suffered and died for.”
There has been heavy backlash on social media from some consumers who launched a boycott of Nike and posted their own versions of the ad substituting former NFL star Pat Tillman.
Tillman turned down a multi-million-dollar football contract to join the Army after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He was killed in action in 2004 in Afghanistan.
If @nike wants to honor someone who sacrificed everything, they should honor Pat Tillman who gave up a career in the @nfl to volunteer for military service and sacrificed his life defending our country. pic.twitter.com/pKhRwawuqc
— Buddy Carter (@Buddy_Carter) September 4, 2018
This week, a Missouri college also dumped Nike, saying it will remove all athletic uniforms the school purchased from Nike or which contain the Nike logo, Fox News reported.
The College of the Ozarks, a private Christian college in Point Lookout, Missouri, issued a statement slamming Nike for “promoting disrespect toward America” with its decision to elevate Colin Kaepernick.
‘If Nike Is Ashamed Of America, We Are Ashamed Of Them’
“In their new ad campaign, we believe Nike executives are promoting an attitude of division and disrespect toward America,” said College of the Ozarks President Jerry Davis. “If Nike is ashamed of America, we are ashamed of them. We also believe that those who know what sacrifice is all about are more likely to be wearing a military uniform than an athletic uniform.”
In October 2017, the College of the Ozarks revised its contract for participation in school sports, stipulating that all student-athletes and coaches must show respect for the national anthem and the American flag if they want to participate.
