The mayor intends on releasing a statement clarifying the decision later today
An American mayor in Louisiana has banned Nike products from city’s public recreation facilities in the aftermath of the company making former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick the face of its latest marketing campaign.
Kenner Mayor E. Ben Zahn III has also ordered that purchases made by high school and university teams in the City of Kenner for “apparel, shoes, athletic equipment and/or any athletic product” be approved by the city.
“Under no circumstances will any Nike product or any product with the Nike logo be purchased for use or delivery at any City of Kenner Recreation facility,” the mayor wrote.
It disappoints me that this is happening in my state. The Mayor of Kenner is trying to ban all Nike apparel and equipment from children’s sports and playgrounds. I would like to have a conversation with him when i return from this European Tour. Not to fuss, just to build. pic.twitter.com/gRCoCN3nQP
— Dee-1 (@Dee1music) September 9, 2018
The order was issued on Wednesday, with Kenner City Councilman Gregory Carroll describing the mayor’s memo as “disturbing”, adding that he was “100% AGAINST this decision” via a Facebook post.
The mayor intends on releasing a statement clarifying the decision later today.
It follows a backlash to the advertising campaign that saw protesters burning their Nike clothing in protest of Kaepernick becoming the face of the sports company’s ‘Just Do It’ campaign. However, despite this, sales of Nike’s products grew by 31% in the bank holiday weekend after the ad launched.
Kaepernick began taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem, in protest of police brutality and racial injustice in the US in August 2016. The protest then spread through the NFL and into other sports, with many other athletes following his lead.
The former American football player had signed with Nike in 2011, but the reveal of the new advert was accompanied by the news that the sportswear giant had retained him on the roster for the last two years, even though he was not competing in the NFL.
