Source: John Shearer / Getty
Colin Kaepernick‘s influence at Nike looms large.
The exiled NFL quarterback convinced the sneaker retailer to pull the upcoming release of a Besty Ross themed Fourth of July sneaker after Kaepernick and others suggested that the symbolism of the Ross flag was offensive.
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The Ross flag, which features 13 stars as a symbol to the original 13 colonies and states, has been co-opted in recent years by far-right wing groups as a symbol of their cause and has been considered a symbol of an era when slavery was still the law of the land in the United States.
“Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured an old version of the American flag,” Mark Rhodes, a spokesman for the company, said in an email.
Some who have an early version of the Air Max 1 Quick Strike ‘Fourth Of July’ have attempted to sell the shoe for as much as $2,500 according to TMZ.
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Much like Kaepernick’s inclusion in a Nike campaign last year, many took to Twitter to voice their displeasure with the brand and that they would no longer be buying Nike sneakers. The brand reported quarterly sales rose 4% to $10.2 billion despite said “protest.”
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Nike Pulls Controversial “Besty Ross Flag” Shoe Thanks To Colin Kaepernick was originally published on theboxhouston.com