Sports store is forced to close after owner's Nike-Colin Kaepernick protest backfires
https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...-colin-kaepernick-protest-backfires/39053759/
https://koaa.com/news/2019/02/11/pr...close-after-removing-nike-apparel-from-store/
Nike's 2018 "Just Do It" campaign, which featured Colin Kaepernick, drew competing reactions from both sides of the political spectrum when it debuted last fall.
For Colorado Springs' Prime Time Sports owner Stephen Martin, it meant dropping all Nike gear. Now, his store is closing.
Martin told koaa.com that he will close the sports apparel store after 20 years because he can no longer afford his lease. He blamed his protest of Nike for playing a major part in the store's closure.
"Being a sports store without Nike is kind of like being a milk store without milk or a gas station without gas. How do you do it? They have a monopoly on jerseys," Martin told koaa.com.
Martin said he's the only full-service, licensed fan shop between Castle Rock and the New Mexico border. Despite having all 32 NFL teams' apparel in his store, he doesn't have any current players' jerseys because of his decision to drop all Nike apparel.
Prime Time also canceled an autograph signing with Brandon Marshall after the Broncos linebacker protested police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem in 2016.
Martin told koaa.com he realized that Kaepernick and Marshall have a lot of supporters who can shop elsewhere.
"As much as I hate to admit this, perhaps there are more Brandon Marshall and Colin Kaepernick supporters out there than I realized," he said.
Martin expects to close the store next month.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...-colin-kaepernick-protest-backfires/39053759/
https://koaa.com/news/2019/02/11/pr...close-after-removing-nike-apparel-from-store/
Nike's 2018 "Just Do It" campaign, which featured Colin Kaepernick, drew competing reactions from both sides of the political spectrum when it debuted last fall.
For Colorado Springs' Prime Time Sports owner Stephen Martin, it meant dropping all Nike gear. Now, his store is closing.
Martin told koaa.com that he will close the sports apparel store after 20 years because he can no longer afford his lease. He blamed his protest of Nike for playing a major part in the store's closure.
"Being a sports store without Nike is kind of like being a milk store without milk or a gas station without gas. How do you do it? They have a monopoly on jerseys," Martin told koaa.com.
Martin said he's the only full-service, licensed fan shop between Castle Rock and the New Mexico border. Despite having all 32 NFL teams' apparel in his store, he doesn't have any current players' jerseys because of his decision to drop all Nike apparel.
Prime Time also canceled an autograph signing with Brandon Marshall after the Broncos linebacker protested police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem in 2016.
Martin told koaa.com he realized that Kaepernick and Marshall have a lot of supporters who can shop elsewhere.
"As much as I hate to admit this, perhaps there are more Brandon Marshall and Colin Kaepernick supporters out there than I realized," he said.
Martin expects to close the store next month.
Now go pay your bills in patriot bucks.
