Nike Inc. (NKE), the National Football League’s main apparel sponsor, told the NFL it was unhappy with how the organization handled domestic violence by players, Chief Executive Officer Mark Parker said.
“We made our position known with the NFL that we don’t tolerate any sort of domestic violence,” Parker said in an interview with with Stephanie Ruhle on Bloomberg Television.
Nike, based in Beaverton, Oregon, severed an endorsement deal last month with running back Ray Rice after he was captured on camera striking his then fiancee. Since then, the league has been making progress on domestic violence and child abuse, Parker said.
“The commissioner’s responding,” Parker said. “This has been a great lesson for the NFL. He has acknowledged that and is moving forward. I’m optimistic they are moving in a better direction.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asked owners earlier this month to consider using independent experts to decide discipline for off-the-field conduct such as domestic violence. Two weeks earlier, he met with a group of 11 former players about the league’s personal-conduct policies.
Women Customers
Nike,
the exclusive provider of NFL jerseys and other on-field apparel, held
an event in New York today to promote its relationship with female
customers. Parker declined to comment on whether the company’s female
clientele influenced the decision to terminate its endorsement deal with
Rice.
Nike, which took over the NFL clothing license in 2012 from Adidas AG’s Reebok unit, also suspended a contract with Adrian Peterson, an NFL running back who is charged with abusing his 4-year-old son. Peterson has pleaded not guilty.
The suspensions have raised questions over whether Nike will do the same to another of its sponsored athletes, female soccer star Hope Solo. While she is awaiting trial on domestic violence charges, Nike hasn’t halted her endorsement deal. Parker said today the the company was monitoring the matter.
“We keep close ties with what’s going on in that situation, and will make our judgment when the time is right,” Parker said.
