May 23, 2003
SPONSORED ATHLETES
A colleague from my days spent working in and around the outdoor industry still thinks to send me his thoughts on a variety of matters. Ignore the grammar (and probably even some of the specific numbers he cites)Ö and just focus on the point heís attempting to make:
Possibly it is time to speak up and out about the outlandish money two shoe baggers are giving out in what is nothing more than EGO flexing of their waffle souls. In a just completed endorsement a young man graduating from high school who knows how to shoot a jump shot is given $90 million by Nike over 7 years to market his name on Nike waffles. Reebok dropped out at $75 million. For comparison, 10,000 thousand students are graduating from San Diego State this month and less than 5% have jobs after graduation. Hey why pick on the kid right... It's not the kid doing it. Sure maybe his Hummer in front of school is a bit much but its only a $600 a month lease and every kid deserves a truck for graduation.
In truth what Nike and Reebok are doing is far more serious. The state of Oregon is flat broke and schools are closing from budget cuts left and right. Can Nike possibly see that $90 million could save thousands of school kids even build schools and help those tens of thousands get jobs after college? Is the number one brand in the minds of youth ever going to think of all the kids who wear their waffles and stop trying to ----- bigger than the other --- like Reebok???
Nike and Reebok, if indeed they can afford to give out $75-90 million to one high school student, should get real that one kid can't buy 10 billion dollars worth of shoes and gear. That our economy is really hurting and that if rubber sole waffles are the new GM of our economy it is time to put the money into the schools not one kid shooting hoops.
Sure these companies Nike and Reebok can afford this kind of stuff when their 5 year plan shows China coming on with free trade and the deflation" brand of economics that is driving America to the exact opposite ends of "inflation." As for Le Baron James, a nice kid who just happens to be the next thing to Jordan, get real Nike... get real Reebok. Your shoes are just rubber and oil mixed in a factory of labor that is already the target of years of activist bashing. You have insulted every kid, high school and college who has ever worn your waffles and you have made a disgrace of marketing the hard earned talents of our youth. We are a country of citizens not a one man shoe shining.
My reply was this:
Here, Here! I couldn't agree more. It has always struck me as an odd occurrence... that we continue to support companies that dole out millions of dollars to athletes (including tens of thousands of dollars of free gear over the lifetime of an endorsement), yet we do nothing for our school teachersÖ the very hard working, underpaid, dedicated individuals who provide more opportunities for daily exposure (from a marketing perspective) then any athlete ever will.
Care to weigh inÖ what do you think? Please log your comment below!
Posted by Mikal at May 23, 2003 8:35 AM
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Mikal,
Well said brother...I go to your site everyday and although I do not allways agree w/ you(80-20)I would still take a bullet for you. You make people think about things that are not allways mainstream and I love that. I try not to surround myself w/ Liberals, Ind.,or Conservatives but just GOOD PEOPLE. Stay GOOD Bro !!!!
Thanks again, JJ
Someone responded to my former colleague's message with the following message (which I was copied on):
OKÖ Whatís worse, Nike and Reebok and their stable of athletes or NORTH FACE & Eddie Bauer stamping their names on Gas Hog SUVís. If the state of Oregon was bolder theyíd apply a heftier tax. Consider that the increased sale of shoes as a result of endorsements by Tiger Woods, Michael Jordon, and yes Lebron James flows $ into sales tax coffers, keeps those advertising weenies employed, and does now and then produce some entertaining adds. We do not live within a closed system.
Yes these ìAesthetic Corporationsî should lead with the social responsibility demonstrated by Patagonia or Ben & Jerryís, but they donít. In fact the companies that really could be considered good global citizens can probably be counted on one hand. At least the athletes represent the industry and the ethics that Nike and Reebok sell their products into. Maybe Lebron will set up a non-profit foundation (wouldnít that be a surprise) for the good of humanity (ala Bill Gates). Regardless, the responsibility lies there and not with Nike.
And doesnít it all revolve around the consumer anyway??? We use Chinese labor because the consumer wonít pay for American labor. Nike uses Tiger, Lebron, and Carmello because the consumer identifies with them. If there was no value in these athletes then Nike is dumb and wastes money. I donít think thatís the case.
Personally, I rather see us hammer The NORTH FACE for selling out the Outdoor Ethic to selfishly line their pockets then to fault Nike for playing the American corporate game.
