Tiger Woods says Nike's Colin Kaepernick ad is 'something special'
Saturday 8 September 2018 12:08, UK
Tiger Woods believes Nike have achieved "something special" with their latest 'Just Do It' ad, which is narrated by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
The two-minute ad highlights superstar athletes LeBron James, Serena Williams and others, and touches on the controversy of NFL player protests during the national anthem.
Woods, a Nike athlete since turning pro in 1996 who rarely delves into divisive issues, said Friday has backed the decision to feature Kaepernick - who has become best known for his social protests - as the face of the campaign.
"It's a beautiful spot," Woods said at the BMW Championship. "I think Nike is trying to get out ahead of it and trying to do something special and I think they've done that.
"It's a beautiful spot and pretty powerful people [are] in the spot."
The ad aired during the first commercial break in the third quarter of the Eagles-Falcons game on Thursday night.
Kaepernick watched the first television airing on NBC at an event held at Nike's headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.
His deal with the sportswear company for the 30th anniversary of the 'Just Do It' campaign was the most polarizing issue in sports this week, prompting heated debate on several topics including athletes protesting social injustice and Nike wading into political waters.
Some fans responded to Kaepernick's sponsorship deal by cutting or burning gear with Nike's signature swoosh logo.
Others argued the backlash to the campaign and calls for a Nike boycott showed how the debate has morphed well beyond how athletes try to highlight issues like racial inequality and police shootings of unarmed minorities.
President Donald Trump, a critic of protests during the anthem, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the advert on Twitter.
Serena Williams, who will play her in ninth U.S. Open final, said last week at the tournament that she was proud of Kaepernick. He was in Flushing Meadows to watch Williams play.
"I think every athlete, every human, and definitely every African-American should be completely grateful and honoured [for Kaepernick]," she said.
Kaepernick began a wave of protests by NFL players two seasons ago, kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality.
PGA Championship winner and two-time U.S. Open champ Brooks Koepka said the biggest winner might be the publicity sparked for Nike.
"I mean, let's put it this way, their name is in the paper and people are talking about it," Koepka said. "So Nike is doing what they want to do."
