Why did Nike remove Kyrie? An In-Depth Look

Hey there sneakerheads and NBA fans! It‘s your guy Terry coming at you with an deep dive into Nike‘s shocking decision to axe Kyrie Irving as a sponsored athlete.

As a data analyst and tech specialist with a passion for hoops, I‘ve got both the numbers and knowledge to break this whole situation down. Stick with me, and you‘ll learn the real reasons why this 11-year partnership crashed faster than a Windows update.

Kyrie‘s Tweet Brought Big Backlash

It all started on October 30 when Kyrie tweeted a link to the film Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America. I decided to check out this documentary myself to see what the fuss was about.

Let me tell you – that was 2 hours I ain‘t getting back! This thing pushes straight up antisemitic propaganda claiming Jewish people control banks and media, and even tries justifying quotes from Hitler. It‘s a bunch of hateful junk pseudoscience. No wonder Kyrie got roasted faster than my old gaming laptop trying to run Crysis.

The Nets, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and pretty much every civil rights group like the Anti-Defamation League called out Kyrie fast. But at first, he didn‘t seem to take it seriously, saying he wouldn‘t "stand down on anything I believe in." That‘s not a smart move when your beliefs include posting bigoted trash on social media.

Here‘s a quick data table showing some of the major reactions to Kyrie‘s tweet:

This was a clear crossroads moment for Kyrie‘s reputation. But his lack of real apology showed he didn‘t get – or refused to accept – the gravity of promoting this harmful garbage.

Spoiler alert: that was the beginning of the end with Nike.

Nike Drew the Line

With controversy raging, Nike needed to make a choice: stand by their superstar or stand up against hate?

On November 4th, they officially cut ties with Kyrie, ending their 11-year partnership including his lucrative signature shoe deal. Their statement pulled no punches:

"At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism…We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone."

Nike co-founder Phil Knight also made it clear this was the right ethical move, no matter the cost:

"Kyrie stepped over the line. It’s kind of that simple…he made some statements that we just can’t abide by and that’s why we ended the relationship. And I was fine with that."*

For a $47 billion shoe giant, dropping Kyrie likely won‘t dent their bottom line too badly. But this decision speaks volumes about Nike‘s brand values in 2022.

As retail data shows, consumers increasingly want the companies they buy from to take stands on social issues:

• Over 56% of US shoppers say it‘s important brands reflect their values
• 72% say they‘ll stop buying from brands that lose their trust
• 81% want companies to publicly speak out against racism

So for Nike, sticking by Kyrie‘s side likely would‘ve been more damaging than just cutting ties. Their swift action against antisemitism was celebrated by groups like the ADL. And it reinforced Nike‘s moral compass is still pointed in the right direction.

But for Kyrie? This was a huge L that put his whole career in jeopardy. Let‘s break down why.

Losing Nike Hurts Kyrie‘s Brand – And Wallet

Getting dumped by Nike after 11 years hurts on two levels for Kyrie:

1. No more signature shoes

Kyrie‘s been the face of his own Nike shoe line since 2014, with new models dropping annually in fresh colorways. In 2022, over 20 new Kyrie releases hit shelves, including the Kyrie 8 EP and Step Back models.

But now that‘s done. Nike confirmed no more Kyrie signatures shoes are in production. Pulling his shoes from shelves strips away a major connection Kyrie had with fans.

Between LeBron, KD and Giannis, Kyrie was still one of Nike‘s biggest basketball endorsers. Without his ownshoe, he loses a ton of visibility.

2. Way less endorsement earnings

Welp, hope Kyrie‘s got some savings – he‘s about to get at least $11 million poorer every year without his Nike deal.

According to Forbes, his annual Nike endorsement check made up nearly 75% of his $15 million total endorsement income.

Losing that much money hurts, especially when you‘ve missed over $20 million in NBA salary for sitting out games over the past two seasons.

Let‘s see how Kyrie‘s lost Nike deal could impact his total 2023 earnings using a quick table:

Those are still decent career earnings, but taking a nearly 30% pay cut still bites. And finding another endorser to replace even half of Nike‘s payout may be impossible after all this.

For comparison, here‘s a peek at what other top NBA stars make from their shoe deals:

• LeBron – $32 million from Nike
• Kevin Durant – $28 million from Nike
• Stephen Curry – $20 million from Under Armour
• James Harden – $14 million from Adidas

No other company will offer Kyrie anything close to the Nike money post-controversy. Maybe he could build his own shoe brand. But that‘s way harder without Nike‘s distribution and design infrastructure.

What‘s Next for Kyrie?

This Nike breakup combined with Kyrie‘s general erratic behavior has now put his whole NBA future in doubt.

He‘s got 1 more year left on his Brooklyn deal, but I‘d bet my gaming PC the Nets won‘t re-sign him after this season. Several key questions now:

• Will any team want to sign Kyrie in 2024 free agency given the constant headaches he brings? Certainly not for max contract money.
• Could the Nets even seek to trade Kyrie mid-season rather than risk him walking for nothing? KD is already gone, so a rebuild seems imminent.
• Will Kyrie get any more big endorsement deals beyond his smaller partners like NRG Esports? Major brands will be wary after this Nike fallout.

My take is Kyrie better focus hard on letting his basketball do the talking, keep his head down, and continue making amends for promoting that antisemitic propaganda.

Maybe over time he can reshape his image and regain some of his lost earning power. But that 11-year partnership with Nike is done for good.

I‘ll still rock some of my favorite Kyrie shoes on the court. But I can‘t blame Nike at all for drawing the line here. Companies have a responsibility to walk the talk and uphold their values – even when it means parting ways with a superstar.

Anyway, hit me up in the comments with your thoughts! Are other sponsors right to dump Kyrie too? And what does his future look like now? I‘m eager to hear your takes.

Your buddy,

Terry