When it comes to corporate sponsorships, exclusivity is gold—especially within the realm of professional sports.
From performance-wear to beverages, companies will pay big bucks to ensure their product is the only one of its kind being used during broadcasted events—even going as far to threaten players with fines for using products from competing brands. We saw it during the 2014 World Cup, and now we’re seeing it in the NFL, which recently fined San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick for donning Beats by Dr. Dre headphones last week.
Holding a sponsorship contract with Bose, the NFL has implemented a $10,000 penalty for any player who is caught wearing any non-Bose headphones during NFL televised events. But Kaepernick clearly doesn’t give a damn.
Nor do Richard Sherman, Cam Newton, and Tom Brady, who were all recently photographed wearing Beats instead of Bose.
To most of us, $10,000 is a pretty hefty price to pay just to don our headphones of choice. But if you’re sponsored by Beats like Kaepernick is, then that cost is likely nothing compared to what you’re getting paid to endorse the brand. And that’s assuming the players are even paying out of pocket.
Considering all the publicity Beats is getting for this headphone rebellion, it wouldn’t be a surprise if it was covering the players’ fines. When asked if this is the case, Kaepernick replied “We'll let that be unanswered.”
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[via Deadspin]
