Nike’s attempt to trademark Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James‘ “B9” logo has been denied due to “likelihood of confusion” with an already-registered trademark, according to United States Patent and Trademark Office documents.

The logo was deemed too similar to the “B9” logo created by Back9 Golf Apparel. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and uses the logo on clothing and apparel.

Nike applied for the logo back in February, using a lowercase “b” in Gothic lettering with the number “9” down the middle.

Back9’s logo has a black background, with “B9” intertwined in a racing font. Back9 filed for the trademark back in 2021 and was registered in 2022.

Examining attorney P. Scott Craven said, “The marks are similar in appearance, sound, and commercial impression,” in his rejection letter sent to Nike. “In addition, the marks are essentially phonetic equivalents and, thus, sound similar.”

Nike has yet to comment on the denial, but they have three months to appeal the ruling and explain the difference between the logos and why they can co-exist.

“Nike, do they have a 50-50 shot of that kind of argument, being that the designs are so unique that these are not going to get confused in the marketplace? These are very distinct logos, so they do have that going for them,” attorney Josh Gerben said. “I think it gives them an argument to make, but it is a little bit of an uphill battle here, I think.”

James already has three approved trademarks: “Bronny,” “Bronald,” and his signature “B J Jr.” He applied for those trademarks in 2022 with a different company.

Jutta Leerdam, the fiancée of social media personality and boxer Jake Paul, could earn up to $1 million from Nike.

On Feb. 9, Leerdam won a gold medal in the 1,000-meter speed skating event. She also set the Olympic record, finishing in 1:12.31. After winning, she unzipped her racing coat and showcased her Nike undergarments. Leerdam signed with Nike in Dec. 2025. 

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Quod magazine estimated that she could earn up to 62,000 euros per post featuring Nike. Nike contracts generally include incentives to showcase brand wear both on and off the field. 

Leerdam is estimated to be making around $1 million from the Nike endorsement.

Leerdam has won two medals for the Netherlands. She also got a silver medal in the 500-meter women’s speed skating event. 

Paul posted a video of himself and his fiancée celebrating her medals. 

“Just the amount of hard work that goes into it,” Paul said, “Like 99.9 percent of people will never understand. And she pulled it off, under the most amount of pressure ever.”

Nike is currently under investigation by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

The EEOC has accused Nike of discrimination against white workers with DEI policies. They filed an action in federal court on Feb. 4. 

“Pattern or practice of disparate treatment against White employees, applicants and training program participants in hiring, promotion, demotion, or separation decisions, including selection for layoffs; internship programs; and mentoring, leadership development and other career development programs,” the EEOC said in a public statement.

President Donald Trump has attacked DEI programs as being discriminatory against white people. He recently said that “white people have been treated very badly” by civil rights laws.

Nike said they were surprised by this move. They have submitted 100,000s of documents to the EEOC proving their hiring practices are fair. Nike’s legal team is arguing that the filing is overbroad. The judge has the right to throw out a filing they believe is overbroad.

The EEOC’s argument relies on the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, Title VII, which covers equal employment. In April 2025, President Trump passed Executive Order 14281, called “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy.” This order looked to challenge DEI policies that may have led to white people being passed up.

According to Nike’s homepage, 40% of its workforce identifies as white. Leadership in the company is around 70 percent white. Nike underwent a large DEI initiative in 2020 to increase representation. In 2020, the company was about 68 percent white. Despite this, they have failed to reach the goals of a more diverse leadership group. It’s unclear if any white person was fired or if this was simply creating more roles. 

After Trump’s inauguration, many companies scrapped their DEI policies in hopes of avoiding legal consequences. Nike was one of the companies that kept their DEI policies. They recently appointed a new DEI chief. 

Caitlin Clark has become the face of the new era in the WBNA, and now, she’s Nike’s newest signature athlete.

The company announced the partnership with Clark this summer, revealing the new logo for the signature collection. Clark will launch an apparel line and a signature shoe featuring her logo, with two interlocking Cs representing her name.

“Nike’s signature roster features all-time greats, and I am incredibly proud to join some of the best athletes in the world,” Clark said in the Nike press release. “I’m excited to share a first look at what we’ve started to create together.”

Only a few current WNBA players have signature collections with Nike, including A’ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu.

Debuting in 2023, Ionescu’s signature shoe had a major presence on WNBA and NBA courts. The unisex shoe collection was the first collaboration with a WNBA player since the 90s. Nike released the Nike A’One last May, Wilson’s first-ever signature shoe, which generated significant buzz on social media for its ad campaigns and bright pink colorway.

It was only a matter of time before Clark joined the elite group of signature athletes and collaborated with Nike for her own signature shoe.

At the University of Iowa, Clark had a record-breaking career as one of the most prolific scorers in NCAA Division I history. Clark set the record with 3,951 career points in her 4-year career, beating the record of 3,667 set by Pete Maravich in the late 60s.

Indiana selected Clark as the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, setting the stage for a standout career. In her first year with the Indiana Fever, Clark was named the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year. She received 66 out of 67 votes for the prestigious honor.

“To me, this is more than just a logo; it’s a dream come true,” Clark said. “People always talk about leaving your mark on the game – and this is another way I can do that.”

Clark’s apparel line launched last month, and the signature shoe is scheduled for 2026.

Nike founder Phil Knight and Dodger’s co-owner Alan Smolinsky are in talks to buy the Portland Trail Blazers in a deal worth more than $2 billion. However, the Blazers have rejected the offer issuing a statement that the team remains not for sale. The team is currently owned by Jody Allen, brother of the late Paul Allen who owned both the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trailblazers, among other assets. Allen died in 2018 triggering a clause that exists within his trust.

Seattle writer Art Thiel reported that Allen has a certain amount of time to sell the team as illustrated in her late brother’s trust, “Ultra-rich people and their lawyers, locally and nationally, know the Vulcan trust’s requirement to sell Paul Allen’s assets is within 10 years of his 2018 death. Seahawks/Blazers could be sold at any time should a take-or-leave blockbuster be offered.”

Knight’s offer of $2 billion is similar to that of former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer‘s offer to buy the Los Angeles Clippers in 2016 following Donald Sterling‘s dismissal from ownership. According to Forbes, the franchise is valued at about $2.05 billion but has continued to see growth even following Allen’s death, growing 11% in value since 2021. Allen bought the team in 1988 for about $70 million.

It is unclear whether or not the rejecting of Knight’s offer is a ploy to renegotiate or if there is no immediate desire to sell the team. Potential ownership groups have expressed a desire to expand the WNBA into Portland. Owner of the Sports Bra in Portland, Jenny Nguyen, said that WNBA expansion in Portland would be a no-brainer, “Basketball is my sport. I’m a huge fan of the WNBA; it would make my day. That’s one of the reasons why I opened the Sports Bra here. One, it’s my hometown, and two, I think the community is so supportive of women’s sports. So, bringing a WNBA team here is a no-brainer.”

Knight and Smolinksy reportedly plan to remain aggressive in talks to acquire the team.

Following a bitter split about a year ago, Kobe Bryant’s estate has reached a new long-term deal with Nike to continue producing footwear and apparel from the late Bryant’s Zoom Kobe series.

“We’re excited to announce our partnership with Nike is going to continue!” Kobe’s widow, Vanessa, wrote in an Instagram post. “I am so proud that my husband’s shoes are still the most worn by players on NBA courts [nearly 20%] and that the demand for his shoes remain so desired by his fans around the world.”

Kobe, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others, died in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

“Kobe Bryant means so much to so many of us, not just NBA fans but globally beyond the game,” John Donahoe, Nike’s president and CEO, said. “His impact in growing the sport, particularly encouraging women and young people to pick it up, endures as one of his deepest, lasting legacies. Together with Vanessa, we hope to honor Kobe and Gigi by championing a new generation for many years to come.”

In addition to re-releasing 11 shoes worn by Bryant during his career—with talks of adding his six post-career designs as well—Nike will be adding a new Gigi Bryant shoe.

“With this new partnership, fans will soon be able to have access to Kobe and Gigi Nike product for years to come,” Vanessa Bryant said. “Nike [is] donating 100% of the net proceeds yearly for Gianna’s shoes to our Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation (M&MSF).”

Nike says the first release could arrive as soon as May 1—what would’ve been Gianna’s 16th birthday.

“The first new shoe from the partnership, the Kobe 6 Protro ‘Mambacita Sweet 16’ will honor Gigi Bryant,” Nike said. “All proceeds from the shoe will benefit the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.”

“I am also grateful that Nike and I will work together to establish a youth basketball center in Southern California that will share the Mamba Mentality with youth athletes for generations to come,” Vanessa added.

A pair of Michael Jordan’s earliest known regular season game-worn Nike shoes have sold at the Sotheby’s Icons of Excellence and Haute Luxury auction in Las Vegas on Sunday for $1.47 million, breaking the record for the highest price achieved for a pair of sneakers sold at auction.

Selling to Nick Fiorella, a famous card collector, the retro white high-tops with hits of red were worn during Jordan’s 5th NBA game in his rookie season in 1984, making them the earliest regular-season pair from his NBA career to be auctioned off.

However, the Jordans aren’t the most expensive sneakers ever sold. In April, the company Rares bought a $1.8 million pair of Kanye West’s Nike Air Yeezy 1 sneakers in a Sotheby’s private sale, making them the most expensive known pair of shoes ever sold. Rares is one of the dozens of similar companies that have sprung up in recent years coming from the internet subculture known as “hype beasts,” all of which offer shares in luxury goods, artworks and collectibles. Rares didn’t bid on the Jordan sneakers, a spokesperson said.

The Jordan Brand continues to bring Nike billions of dollars each year. Limited releases, different store exclusives and vintage hard-to-get Jordan sneakers has led to the creation of websites such as StockX and Goat where these sought-out shoes are being sold for tens of thousands of dollars a pair every day.

The Black Mamba will no longer be selling shoes through Nike.

In a statement on Monday night, Vanessa Bryant announced that the Kobe Bryant estate will not be renewing their contract with Nike. Bryant’s deal with Nike, which was one of the most successful of all athletes, expired on April 13, 2021, and it will not be picked up again. The estate had growing frustrations over the past few years regarding the lack of availability of Bryant’s shoes, stemming from his retirement five years ago and exacerbated by his death in a helicopter crash in January 2020. Bryant was known for extending his resources and influence to many different groups of people, and the estate also felt that there were not enough shoe options in kids’ sizes.

Prior to his death, Bryant had explored options other than Nike in preparation for the expiration of his contract. He met with a creative agency in December 2019 to see if he could start his own Mamba apparel line. Bryant first began his partnership with Nike in 2003, and had 11 signature models under the Nike Kobe series. Bryant was at the forefront of sneaker culture in the NBA, as his Kobe 4 led to a wave of players switching to low tops, with nearly half the league wearing them now. Following retirement, Bryant released a series of “Protro” sneakers, a term of his own, signifying retro kicks that were updated with modern technology.

Despite Bryant’s passing, his legacy and impact in the league still remains strong, and in no field is that more evident than footwear. His brand was worn more than any other in the 2020 NBA bubble, and a number of players, including current Los Angeles Lakers guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Talen Horton-Tucker, have stated that they plan on exclusively wearing Kobe shoes.

Major League Baseball should be in the midst of its second month for the 2020 season, but that has since been put on hold because of the coronavirus (COVID-19). 

Whenever the MLB season begins, all 30 of the league’s teams will be wearing new uniforms, as Nike is now the official uniform provider for Major League Baseball, replacing long time partner Majestic.

With this change in a uniform partner, some teams will look to change their uniforms. The Boston Red Sox are among the teams looking to make a change as team president Sam Kennedy told The Athletic. 

Longtime fans of baseball might not enjoy the changes to the uniforms of their favorite teams, whether it is the Red Sox or another franchise, but Kennedy has assured that if the franchise redesigns their uniform, it would be strictly for performance reasons. “(The changes will be) likely geared to get us to a uniform that is geared towards high performance,” he said. “We will always be respectful of our incredible traditional look and feel, but we are always open to new and different concepts as time goes by.”

Making uniforms more functional is nothing new in recent years. Compared to the uniforms of the past, uniforms today are significantly lighter and breathable for players, while also being more durable. Odds are that the new uniforms if changes are made, will not deviate much from the Red Sox’s iconic look, but there will still be critics, but let’s be clear, the goal is to make things better for the players on the field, not change the image of the Boston Red Sox, or any team for that matter.

Nike and Sacai released a collaboration shoe earlier this month that consisted of both a black and white colorway. Now, the power duo is coming out with another collaboration of outerwear including hoodies and Parkas.

GET SACAI & NIKE OUTWEAR HERE!

Chitose Abe, of the outerwear, reflects his ethos design. Each jacket also features a zip removable hood, hidden zip and snap button closures and button adjustable foldable cuffs to allow for ultimate customization. This contrast of fabrics and textures can be found in the hoodies, which is a hybrid between a hoodie and a jacket. The parkas have the deconstructed and reconstructed jackets that reveal a balance in textures with contrasting panel designs made of nylon and faux fur.

The top of the hoodies is tied together using printed graphics, grey goose down filling and elasticated cuffs. The drawstring adjustable hood utilizes streamlined hand pockets in the panel design more akin to a traditional jacket.

The hoodies and parkas, priced at $184 and $400 respectively.

2020 is the 30-year anniversary of the iconic Air Jordan 5. For the special occasion, Jordan is releasing the Off-White X Air Jordan 5, which were inspired by the OG Metallic Air Jordan 5 colorway.

The Off-White X Air Jordan 5 is constructed with a black textile mesh with Off-Whites signature on the laces “Shoelaces,” a reflective tongue that has a red Jumpman logo. There is a synthetic overlay in the shape of a circle that’s in the netted side panels of the shoe. The number 23 is branded on the ankles with concrete speckled on the shark teeth on the midsole. The shoe will come with three shoelaces in black, white and red.

The Off White X Air Jordan 5 is part of the 8×8 initiative by Nike for the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend. It comes in all sizes, including children’s sizes. They are available at the retail price of $225.

The special and eye-opening shoe release this month is the Air Jordan 10 Retro Wings. They are part of Chicago’s collaborators’ Collection for the 2020 NBA All-Star game. The collection serves as an open canvas to display the Windy City’s creative community and neighborhood through shoes and clothing.

DEAL DEALS ON AIR JORDAN RETRO WINGS HERE!

The Wings’ design was created to connect with high school students bonding the educational program with shoes and apparel. Four high school students came together from four of the participating organizations in Chicago — Link Limited, Enlace, Little Black Peral and Embrac — to create a design that represented the famed grit and architecture of their hometown. This was done with the weather-ready design from the upper tumble white leather. They also used the metallic silver mudguards to represent a statue at the city’s center, the bright accents to represent the public transportation routes and the green insole and icy blue to pay tribute to the famous Windy City.

The Air Jordan 10 Retro Wings (White, Chrome, Black Clover colorway) can be purchased from Nike and selected retailers for $190. The shoes will also be packaged in a cement-printed shoebox with an oversized rose to continue the shoe’s theme.

The Air Jordan 10 was originally released in the 1994-1995 season. This was Hall-of-Famer Micheal Jordan‘s tenth signature shoe. The Air Jordan 10 retro wings celebrated Jordan’s return from the baseball diamond and his two-word press release that stated “I’m Back.” There are three different models of the original Air Jordan 10, also known as the Air Jordan X, and five different colorways that supported five lucky teams. These teams were the Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic and Seattle Supersonics. The first model of the shoe had a leather toe strap, and it was the first shoe the MJ did not approve of. Once Nike released the strapless toe, Jordan was much happier. The Hall-of-Famer did wear the Air Jordan 10 when he returned to the NBA and had his new number 45 on the side.

A huge release of new shoes has just dropped! The Nike Air Ship is a part of the Jordan Brand release New Beginnings that features numerous Jordan retros in Chicago colorways.

The Nike Air Ship is Jumpman’s most-hyped release to date. This sneaker was the first pair of Nikes the basketball legend Micheal Jordan wore when he first signed to the brand in his rookie season of 1984. The Nike Air Ship has never been retroed before. The shoe will be paired with Jordan’s first shoe Air Jordan 1 Hi ’85 in a white and red colorway to represent the symbolic Bulls colors and a duel pack box. The year the shoe was originally released will be on the top of the box.

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There will be a twist with the release of the duel pack. Shoes normally can be bought on Nike.com or the SNKRS app. However, the shoe combo will only be able to be bought in person in Chicago. The shoes will be sold for $350 for the bundle, yet the shoe’s aftermarket price will skyrocket once they hit the resale market.

Back in 1985, Jordan was told that the shoe he was wearing did not meet a uniform policy that was set in place by the NBA because they did not support the team’s colors. The shoes were then banned from the NBA. This situation is still a mystery, however, most people think the shoe that was banned in 1985 was the Air Jordan 1 Hi ’85.  Yet, others say that the actual shoe that was banned was the Nike Air Ship. Due to their similar look in all of the color schemes, it would have been easy to mistake one for the other.

Basketball and celebrity icons Kevin Durant and Don C came together to create a perfect collaboration with the new Don C X Nike KD 12 shoe. The project was inspired by the impact that basketball had on both Don C and Durant’s lives growing up – specifically Chicago basketball.

GET THE NIKE DON C HERE!

The Don C X Nike KD 12 screams Chicago with the beautiful baby blue, red and white colorway and four stars on the tongue of the shoe to represent the City’s flag. The sneaker also has copper aglets to pay to the city’s train tracks.

The Don C X Nike KD 12 was released for the purchase of $160 on February 15 from Nike.

With the increase in cultural tie-ins from movies and TV shows in shoes over the past couple of years, Nike is adding to this trend by bringing back the Nike Air Penny 5 for the film Blue Chips and its 26 anniversary.

GET NIKE AIR PENNY 5 BLUE CLIPs HERE!

These Nikes are former Orlando Magic guard Penny Hardaway‘s signature shoe with Nike and came out with multiple shoes and colorways. The Nike Air Penny 5 Blue Chip colorway is based on the 1994 film Blue Chips. The color scheme is made to resemble the fictional Western University uniforms and school colors. Don’t forget the oft-overshadowed silhouettes on the “Bright Blue” hues on the leather, mesh and Foamposite uppers. The Nike swoosh and “1 cent” logo are colored with the fictional team color yellow. These are located on the tongue, heel and outsole. The Air Penny 5’s are performance-ready with Phylon insoles and Air unite at the forefoot and heel.

The Air Penny 5 was released on February 18, and are available for purchase at selected retailers such as Footlocker for $160.

The historic Nike Air Maz 97 gained two more colorways. Following the release of the tye-die-clad Air Force 1 ’07 Premium, Nike decided to give the Air Max 97 a makeover with psychedelic accents over a black or white base color. These colorways debuted August 4, 2019 – and instantly became a classic.

The black and psychic purple pattern is lined with stealthy black side panels, tonal tongue with a thin pull tab. Half-way up the shoe are the tie-dye mudguards. This also covers the lower half of the sneaker, toe cap and rear quarter of the shoe. The white multicolor colorway is the inverse of the black and psychic purple. The tie-dye pattern starts from the top of the shoe with crips white panels. At the top of the tongue, there is a blue peace sign and splashes of fluorescent pigments that extend to the forefoot. Both of these color schemes have a translucent midsole. This puts balance to the mixture of hues. The Nike Air Max 97 is being sold at around $180 at most stores.

The Nike Air Max was released in the fall of 1997. The popularity of the Air Max was very high in Japan and Europe, so Nike tried to push new models and colorways out the door as much as possible. New colorways were based on different mountain bike patterns. The Nike Air Max 97’s are said to be eye-catching and reliability comfortable. They are able to last and be your everyday shoe or as a shoe show from the multiple color options. The timeless sneakers are wavy, bold and stunning – and much more than just another pair of Nikes.

GET THE NIKE AIR MAX 97 BLACK/PSYCHIC PURPLE HERE!

On Saturday in Vienna, Austria, Kenyan-born runner Eliud Kipchoge became the first person ever to run a marathon in under two hours. At the conclusion of his groundbreaking run, Kipchoge clocked in at 1:59:40.

In order to achieve this milestone, Kipchoge solicited the assistance of pacemakers to keep him on track during the run, 41 in total plus a pace car. Out of those 41, he was the center of a “V formation” at any given time, often spearheaded by long-distance runners and even some former Olympians.

However, since the marathon was not an open event and included the use of rolling pacemakers, the time will not be counted as an official world record. That being said, this epic run is already being considered a historic milestone, often likened to Sir Roger Bannister breaking the threshold of four minutes when running a mile.

When asked about this triumphant moment, Kipchoge responded with three simple words: “Anything is possible.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

Another headline-grabbing aspect of this marathon was the shoes worn by Kipchoge, newly designed by Nike. In order to garner the most media attention possible, Nike waited until the buildup to the Vienna marathon to unveil their new running shoes to be worn by Kipchoge, which they claim can improve athletic performance by 4%.

When asked what this historic moment meant to him, Kipchoge answered, “I want to inspire many people, that no human is limited.”

He overcame the major psychological hurdle that had plagued marathon runners for decades, the absolutely daunting task of completing it in under two hours. Kipchoge hopes to inspire generations of runners to come, letting them know not only through words but also his actions that they can push themselves further than they had ever thought.

“Together, when we run, we can make this world a beautiful world,” Kipchoge said after finishing.

No player like Zion Williamson has caused this much stir around the league since LeBron James entering the NBA back in 2003.

Williamson has it all: the size, the athleticism, the strength and the knack for scoring whenever he feels like it. The projected No. 1 pick in this year’s draft is one of the most talked-about players of his generation, immersed with talent and upside. Shoe endorsers will be fighting tooth and nail for this guys’ signature, and according to Fox Business, Williamson could be looking at a $100 million sneaker deal.

The legendary sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro says he thinks Adidas will win the race for Williamson. “They lost out to Nike on LeBron because they didn’t pay the money,” he said, according to Footwear News. “But if I’m Adidas, I’m going to [go all in this time].”

Williamson hasn’t given any hints, and has kept the media guessing too. In a workout on May 31, he was wearing Nike Kyrie 4s, but there may not be anything too much to look into there, as his former collegiate team Duke is endorsed by Nike. At the same time, Williamson has a hesitant relationship with Nike after he famously blew out a Nike shoe during a February 20 game against rivals North Carolina, during which he ended up spraining his knee.

According to CBS News, Nike stock fell $1 billion dollars after the incident, but has recovered since.

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If Zion were to sign the supposed $100 million deal, he would exceed James’ rookie deal with Nike ($87 million) back in 2003.

The Duke star averaged 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds a game in his freshman season at Duke, and seemed to step up for the big moments for Duke as he scored over 29 points a game in the ACC Tournament and over 23 in the NCAA Tournament.

If and when Williamson gets selected by the New Orleans Pelicans, he will be joining a young team with fruitful talent alongside Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Jrue Holiday, Josh Hart and Elfrid Payton. 

Mary Bono resigned on Tuesday as interim president and CEO of USA Gymnastics after only five days in charge.

Mary Bono Out As USA Gymnastics Leader

The former Republican congresswoman from California was criticized by Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and others over a tweet in which she appeared to blast Nike. Bono was appointed as interim chief of the sport’s governing body on Friday. In a USA Gymnastics news release, she was praised for her leadership, communication, and ability to “coalesce people with differing views.”

In September, she took to Twitter to respond to Nike promoting former NFL quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick.

In a now-deleted photo, Bono, 56, blotted out a Nike swoosh on a pair of golf shoes with a black marker, following the lead of angry Nike owners who burned and destroyed their goods after the Kaepernick endorsement.

“Playing in a charity golf tournament raising money for our Special Forces operators and their families. Unfortunately had these shoes in my bag. Luckily I had a marker in my bag too….” she wrote in the tweet.

Biles, the face of the USA team and a Nike-endorsed athlete, responded back to the tweet. Quoting Bono’s tweet, Biles replied: “*mouth drop* don’t worry, it’s not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Later Saturday, Bono acknowledged the tweet and said she wanted to turn the focus on what she plans to accomplish as USA Gymnastics’ leader.

Hundreds of Nike consumers voiced outrage this week after the sports apparel company decided to feature Colin Kaepernick in its latest advertisement campaign.

NFL Fans Boycott Nike Over Colin Kaepernick Ads

Fans quickly started burning Nike shoes and other sportswear after the brand chose the free-agent NFL quarterback as the face of the 30th anniversary edition of its “Just Do It” ad campaign.

Kaepernick started drawing headlines in August 2016 after he began a series of controversial national anthem protests before football games in order to make a statement about racial inequality and police brutality against minorities in the United States. His actions sparked similar protests across the NFL and other major sports leagues.

Last week, a judge ruled in favor of Kapernick in a case involving a grievance he filed against all 32 NFL teams accusing them of collusion to keep him out of the league. The quarterback hasn’t played in the league since the San Francisco 49ers released him in March 2017.

The ad featuring Kaepernick includes the phrase: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything,” which seems appropriate to describe the free agent’s philosophy on making socio-political statements.

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Dozens of fans shared photos and videos of themselves burning or otherwise destroying their Nike shoes as a way to boycott the company for its most recent decision.

Other fans appeared to support Nike and Kaepernick, however, by purchasing merchandise from the brand.

Nike’s new ads also feature New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. — who recently became one of the highest-paid wideouts in the league — and rookie Seattle Seahawks linebacker Shaquem Griffin, who had his left hand amputated as a child.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Kaepernick has received tributes from many organizations for his social justice work over the last year. In April, he was named Amnesty International’s 2018 Ambassador of Conscience.