Nike drops Armstrong

[Big Daddy]

We've speculated for days now if Nike would drop Armstrong. And many believed that it wasn't going to happen. Well, the unthinkable just happened. Nike is a huge billion dollar company. They weren't going to be swayed by Armstrong's false claims and PR tactics.

Some people on this forum have said that the tide is turning against Armstrong. Even Armstrong's most diehard Livestrong fans have turned on him. Just check Armstrong's Facebook page. He is getting hammered there. And no amount of his PR team deleting those posts or manipulating Google results or his lawyer's spin on things is changing public perception. Nike knows this. The tide is indeed turning.

Nike drops Armstrong.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/nike-terminate-armstrongs-contract

 

[Don Quixote]

Wow. The tide is turning fast.

 

[Microchip]

Nike says Armstrong misled them for over a decade.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

wonder what armstrong will say now. the laywers going to be expensive without nike's money

 

[Big Daddy]

Nike says Armstrong misled them for over a decade.

I was shocked when I read that. A company like Nike admitting that they've been duped by Armstrong for over a decade! That is huge. That was a huge dominoe that many of us never thought would fall, and certainly not this early. ESPN is calling Armstrong "Cycling's Greatest Con Artist" in a piece aired on TV today.

 

[babastooey]

Will Nike receive a lighter punishment for their cooperation in Lance's "career" (i.e. the bribe) because they have now flipped to the anti-Lance side, just like Lance's former teammates?

Does this mean that they will assist in uncovering the truth in regards to the Verbruggen bribe?

 

[Wolves-Lower]

Now the following companies need to drop Lance-the dopper-fraud.

TREK- I have emailed them telling them to drop the FRAUD
OAKLEY-I have emailed them as well
RADIO SHACK- Whatever


Lance is Toxic now. I hope to see all sorts of companies back away from him

 

[peacefultribe]

I think that they are just trying to cover their behinds. They are into Livestrong.com up to their eyeballs. Shamelessly making a fortune off of cancer. That company has no soul.

 

[babastooey]

I know many people who want Nike to pull out of China, which will definitely be a victory of human rights when they leave all those people unemployed and starving and even more improvrished than they already are (by American middle class standards of course).

 

[Big Daddy]

Now the following companies need to drop Lance-the dopper-fraud.

TREK- I have emailed them telling them to drop the FRAUD
OAKLEY-I have emailed them as well
RADIO SHACK- Whatever


Lance is Toxic now. I hope to see all sorts of companies back away from him

Good job Wolves-Lower.

My prediction is that Radio Shack will dump him. I think it's a trickier situation for Oakley and Trek because those two companies have been complicit in assisting Armstrong and his associates of threatening other people.

 

[egtalbot]

It's great that Nike's dropping him. They clearly cannot be associated with him. It also suggests that any payoffs from them that occurred back in 1999 were at enough of an arm's length that they can maintain deniability.

That said, I feel a certain disappointment, because of course Nike knew. Anyone who has ever been involved with Nike even tangentially related to sponsorship would conclude that they didn't pump millions into the top athlete in a dope-ridden sport without being an inner circle player. This is CYA plain and simple.

Also, the UCI looks set to walk on this whole thing. I mean, maybe Lance still has smoking guns he could produce to implicate them if they abandon him, but the more toxic he becomes, the better those smoking guns need to be. We'll need checks from Lance endorsed by Pat with stains from spilled Bushmills and a memo line that says, "to cover up the test"

 

[clydesdale]

I have disliked lance for over a decade now but I'm starting to feel a little bad for him at this point. He made Nike an absolute fortune. Of course they had to drop him but they were complicit and the least they could have done was give him the respect of a short simple press release along the lines of:

"In light of the evidence against him we feel it necessary to part ways with Mr. Armstrong."

The duped part is too much for me.

 

[FabulousCandelabra]

God, this year has been like one long beautiful early Christmas... thank you cycling gods..

 

[FitSsikS]

It's not all bad news for Lance. I hear that Massengill has picked him up and will be using his image on their boxes.

 

[frenchfry]

Nike says Armstrong misled them for over a decade.

Nike has known for over a decade that Armstrong is a doper, a bully and a liar. I mean if I know with the few resources I have except a pair of eyes and an open mind, then Nike surely knew.

They were just hoping to save face and keep the gravy train rolling a bit longer. When they saw this wasn't possible they reacted. It remains a scumbag company with no morals though.

 

[Radway]

No menu options on Nike's (US) site for cycling.
No menu options on Nike's (US) site for livestrong,
even though they say they will be supporting the foundation.
Search "cycling" on the site and some livestrong products show up.
Still some work to do for Nike, cycling does not equal livestrong.

 

[alberto.legstrong]

It's not all bad news for Lance. I hear that Massengill has picked him up and will be using his image on their boxes.

Charmin's wants exclusive sponsorship of all bodily orifices. It passes the test.

 

[reginagold]

Nike keeps LiveStrong?

The timing of Lance's and Nike's announcements suggests Nike had said "we're dropping you and Livestrong." LA "what do I have to do to keep you in LiveStrong." Nike: Resign. LA: "Ok." Now I'll bet LA's lawyers are trying to argue with Nike about how much separation LA must have from any ability to control the direction/spending of the foundation. So far I'm seeing conflicting reports about whether he's still on the Board.

 

[Parrot23]

The timing of Lance's and Nike's announcements suggests Nike had said "we're dropping you and Livestrong." LA "what do I have to do to keep you in LiveStrong." Nike: Resign.

+1. I agree.

Nike will be behind Lance leaving Livestrong. The announcements were nearly simultaneous. Money talks.

Having him at Livestrong while they dropped Lance as a sponsored athlete would have looked ridiculous. It would have threatened their big Livestrong/Nike branded clothing line.

What about Trek? They are continuing to play dumb; their silence on the USADA evidence is deafening.

Trek, the doped up bike brand for Americans, LOL. Now, that's catchy.

 

[Big Daddy]

+1. I agree.

Nike will be behind Lance leaving Livestrong. The announcements were nearly simultaneous. Money talks.

Having him at Livestrong while they dropped Lance as a sponsored athlete would have looked ridiculous. It would have threatened their big Livestrong/Nike branded clothing line.

What about Trek? They are continuing to play dumb; their silence on the USADA evidence is deafening.

Trek, the doped up bike brand for Americans, LOL. Now, that's catchy.

It's possible that both Trek and Oakley have to play dumb because of legal evidence involving their actions with Armstrong damning them for how they acted in this doping scandal. Remember they are involved with the fallout from Lance and his associates putting Greg Lemond's bike company out of business as well as threatening assault to Betsy Andreu. I am sure there's more.

 

[The Gnome]

I have disliked lance for over a decade now but I'm starting to feel a little bad for him at this point. He made Nike an absolute fortune. Of course they had to drop him but they were complicit and the least they could have done was give him the respect of a short simple press release along the lines of:

"In light of the evidence against him we feel it necessary to part ways with Mr. Armstrong."

The duped part is too much for me.

you must be kidding...this is a "man" who labeled Emma a " drunken prostitute"...called Betsy a "jealous cow" and texted "run don't walk" to Leipheimers wife...please...

 

[Microchip]

RadioShack has dumped him too. Velonation says so.

 

[callac]

The timing of Lance's and Nike's announcements suggests Nike had said "we're dropping you and Livestrong." LA "what do I have to do to keep you in LiveStrong." Nike: Resign. LA: "Ok." Now I'll bet LA's lawyers are trying to argue with Nike about how much separation LA must have from any ability to control the direction/spending of the foundation. So far I'm seeing conflicting reports about whether he's still on the Board.

You're 100% right:
Nike finally drops Lance Armstrong as he steps down from his Livestrong charity

ETA: Lance Armstrong steps down as Livestrong chairman - official Livestrong statement

 

[Microchip]

If Trek doesn't drop him, it will look as if Trek has something to hide and is in cohorts with a dishonest athlete.

 

[pelodee]

Nike To Become IOC Supplier (Olympic.org - Official website of the Olympic Movement, 16/10/2012)