Nike just pulled a sneaker design featuring the 13-star flag after Colin Kaepernick addressed the flag's connotation with slavery and white supremacy.
Trying to wipe these shoes from the market, Nike has asked retailers to return the shoes after they were shipped, the WSJ reported. The company did not explain why, the report added. They are currently unavailable on Nike's mobile apps like SNKRS and its website.
But pairs of the shoes have already made their way to some avid sneakerheads and are available on resale sites like StockX, fetching as much as $2,500, according to StockX's website. Kaepernick became a polarizing figure in sports after he decided not to stand for the national anthem during a 2016 NFL preseason football game, in a protest against racial injustice. His actions have been widely defended as an exercise of his freedom of speech.for the 30th anniversary of its "Just Do It" advertising to reinforce the campaign's message of overcoming adversity.
By Tuesday morning, some consumers and political figures were voicing their distaste with Nike's decision again. Some were saying Kaepernick shouldn't have so much power at the retailer to dictate pulling products off shelves. Senator Ted Cruz said on Twitter: "It's a good thing Nike only wants to sell sneakers to people who hate the American flag."that he will now order the state's commerce authority to withdraw all financial incentive dollars for Nike to locate in the state because of the shoes being pulled. The move was expected to bring about 500 jobs to the area.
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