Taking a Knee, Once Career Poison, Now Seen as Good for Business

In 1990, Michael Jordan, as famous at the time for selling Nike shoes as he was for playing for the Chicago Bulls, declined to get involved in politics. “Republicans buy sneakers, too,” he said.

Thirty years later, protesting athletes pushed major sports leagues to cancel a slew of games after police shot yet another Black man, Jacob Blake. The risk of losing a shoe contract or alienating fans wasn’t enough to stop players from making their point.