Kaepernick has been a lightning rod in the NFL world for the past few years. Nike released an ad yesterday featuring Colin's face with a message "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything". This is the second politically tinged ad Nike has produced recently. The first being the ad featuring Serena Williams after the French Open said she could not wear her blood clot resistant cat suit.

Nike has a clear ad campaign going on supporting their athletes and also supporting political causes. It's always about the money, but what is Nike's angle?

Muhammed Ali

Muhammed Ali faced death threats, imprisonment when he decided that the Vietcong was no enemy of the black man in America and he wouldn't go fight in an unjust war. Ali wasn't receiving checks from Nike, or Reebok, or New Balance. He was swimming totally up stream. He did have the support of other black athletes such as Jim Brown, Kareem Abdul Jabar, and others. But he was uniquely alone. He sacrificed his prime years, and money for a greater cause. He risked his life.

Fast forward

Kaepernick's intentions might be pure, and I personally believe they are. But he's doing so after earning millions of dollars in the NFL and being relegated to back up QB. One could argue his career was winding down despite going to the Super Bowl a year or so earlier (I forget the timeline). So was it that much of a risk ? Or did he see a lane opening up in the field of social justice. 

Nike knows the pulse of the nation as well. Nike knows that by promoting controversial issues and statements, that they will be front and center on the news cycles. Nike.. despite great stock earnings and increasing share price, has been falling to Addidas as of late. What better way to get back to supremacy than by making controversial ads. That's marketing 102. 

Colin Kaepernick has one of the best selling jerseys out there and he doesn't even play in the NFL. So that should tell you what Nike is thinking about. The more hate Kaepernick gets, the more money he will earn, and potentially Nike. It's an interesting irony.

I personally have never cared for the NFL. So I can be perfectly objective about this. I believe the NFL is at a crossroads on many fronts. How the commissioner and owners respond to these deep rifts amongst the players and their bosses will determine the future of the league. Meanwhile Nike, Kaepernick, and others will continue to profit on the rift.