The Eagle's Eye
"Best of the Nest" Since 1963
Kaepernick Strikes Again
By Jack Holsopple
Nike has always been the frontrunning brand to sponsor leagues like the NFL and individual athletes, and has built its image with reputable A-List athletes. However, never before has such a controversy been raised around a Nike sponsorship than when Colin Kaepernick became the face of the new Nike “Just Do It” campaign. Why has this sponsorship become a focal point many political skirmishes and social outcry unlike any other sponsorship? This issue dates back to 2016, and it shows no signs of mellowing out soon.
In 2016 the NFL was faced with a big problem, unlike any they’ve seen before: Colin Kaepernick “taking the knee” during the national anthem in protest of police brutality. Many NFL fans were outraged because they saw it as a sign of disrespect towards the American flag and our veterans. Some believe that politics and sports should not mix, others argue that Kaepernick using his status as a public figure to stand up for social justice was completely valid. As Kaepernick‘s campaign spread and more players began taking the knee, the controversy grew, even going as far as the president releasing a statement on Twitter about the issue. Eventually the NFL decided to not condone the action, and Kaepernick has not been signed back to a team since. The situation seemed to have died down after that, but now with Nike revealing it’s collaboration with Kaepernick, it has become clear that this controversy is far from settled.
When Nike released their first commercial introducing the new campaign, there was immediate surprise to see Kaepernick at the end of the short video. The one minute clip shows many different athletes overcoming their hurdles while Kaepernick narrates behind it in the classic and inspirational Nike style. Near the end of the video, we see Kaepernick speaking to the camera as the Nike logo emblazons the screen. Due to the controversy surrounding Kaepernick it came as a shock that Nike, a big sponsor of the NFL, would endorse someone vilified in the football community. Some protesters have even gone as far to start burning their Nike footwear and posting the videos on social media. This was a particularly calculated move on the part of Nike, considering that the NFL is in a 15 year contract with Nike with more than nine years remaining that they are required to wear Nike gear, all while Nike blatantly endorses someone who has been essentially kicked out of the NFL. This has the potential to either be a big mistake for Nike due to the kickback, or it could put Nike on the map as a proponent of social justice.
Whether or not you have chosen a side in the Kaepernick controversy, it has become clear that this may not be an issue that blows over quickly. Nike is a super company that has taken a harsh stance in politics, which is not something that we see often. Some may argue that Nike is profiting off social justice, and while this may be true, the fact remains that Nike made a decision that could cost them millions in the cause for social change.
The Emergence of Women In Sports: How They Are Changing The Athletic Arena
By Malak Dridi
The emergence of women in the athletic arena has been an ever growing topic of the 21st century. Since the ratification of Title IX, the history of women in sports has been one of struggle and triumph, most recently highlighted in the career of Serena Williams, worldwide tennis champion. Since 2001, she has left a streak of wins in her wake and jealous competitors in the dust. Recently, she came under scrutiny after wearing a black catsuit designed by Nike to the French Open. French Tennis Federation President, Bernard Giudicelli, said the suit was “disrespectful to the sport,” and Williams was asked not to wear it again.
She received harsh criticism from news outlets, which argued that the suit “didn't leave much to the imagination” and extended her “bulging muscles”. These insults are often used to target female athletes’ physique and strength, holding them to unrealistic body expectations while maintaining the same amount of talent within the sport. Williams later returned to the court in the championship wearing an assortment of colorful tutus, a satirical response that instantaneously gained attention on social media.
Alize Cornet, a tennis star who was penalized for turning her shirt around during a match, has received attention in recent weeks. She realised that she had her shirt on backwards, and quickly switched it between a play. They penalized her for this, and she received major support from the media saying that this was expliclty sexist, epsically since male players often do this with no consequence. They quickly apologized to her and removed the penalty.
The US women’s soccer team has been dominating the field for generations, and are currently the most successful worldwide. Since 1990, they have won three World Cup titles and are expected to take home a fourth in the 2019 tournament. The men's soccer team is ranked 22nd on FIFA, and have not ever won the world cup. When qualifying for the world cup, the men's soccer team gets a bonus of 3 million dollars, and while the women's team, who actually has qualified for the world cup, receives 345,000 dollar bonus, less than â…› of what the mens team receives.
This is attributed to economic pressure and the fact that men's teams have always gained more attention than the womens from the news outlets and social media, leading to them generating more money that the women's team. More effort needs to be put in to publicizes our female soccer team and give them the recognition they deserve for all their hard work.
Football has been another turning point for women in sports. This year alone, nearly half of all viewers of the super bowl were women, although none are in any of the NFL leagues currently. Women first appeared in the football realm in 1926, for all the wrong reasons. The blah blah blah, previously known as the frankford yellow jackets were and all male team that hired a women's team as a performance for half time. Mocking these womens attempt at sports was a source of joy for the crowd, feeding into the negative perspective on women.
