Nike is "criticizing" NBC, ABC and CBS for "rejecting
an ad in which Nike criticizes the Big 3 broadcast TV
networks," according to Jeff Jensen of AD AGE. Nike has
"denied it was deliberately trying to court controversy" by
developing an ad "it knew the networks wouldn't accept," but
said that "its point is to further protest what it believes
is TV sports' prejudice against soccer." The ad, featuring
U.S. soccer player Mia Hamm, "blasts" the networks for not
devoting more time to women's soccer. Jensen notes that the
ad "is aimed primarily at NBC," which "decided against
airing" the women's gold medal soccer match at the '96
Games. In the spot, a voice-over by Hamm notes that Olympic
viewers "didn't see the best football player in American win
a gold medal in Atlanta this summer ... because all the
networks agree that the best football player in America
isn't good for ratings." NBC, CBS and ABC reportedly
"rejected the ad in storyboard form before it was created."
MAKING FRIENDS: A Nike spokesperson said of the spot:
"We felt -- and it's the sentiment among this country's 17
million soccer fans -- that NBC dropped the ball by not
showing women's soccer at the Olympics. We wanted to be a
voice for those 17 million to say, 'Hey, you say it's not
good for ratings, but why don't you even give it a try?'"
ESPN, Fox, Comedy Central and Black Entertainment TV all
began airing the ad earlier this month. ABC said it
rejected the ad in storyboard form "on the grounds that the
commercial's claims were erroneous" (AD AGE, 5/12). NBC did
carry 22 minutes of the Women's Olympic soccer final,
including the match's ending and a post-game interview with
the team live (THE DAILY).
MORE NIKE: On Friday, "Nightly Business Report"
profiled Nike, whose recent quarterly earnings were up 77%,
with revenues up nearly 50% in the past year. Nike
President Tom Clarke: "In some ways, I worry that people
will get so used to 50% growth that the 20-25% growth that
we really feel that we can sustain over the long haul won't
seem quite as good by comparison." PBS' Suzanne Pratt noted
"Those worries have put a strain" on Nike stock this year,
after "peaking" at nearly 76 in February, it closed Friday
at 56. Pratt: "There are concerns that slowing domestic
demands for sneakers will crimp earnings in the next year."
Nike is "counting on" international sales to help "fuel
growth" and estimates that foreign sales will grow from a
current 40% of revenues to 44% next year and "possibly even
more beyond that." Nike also has "high hopes" for its
apparel line and is hoping Nike fashions will total 40% of
sales by the end of the decade ("NBR," 5/9).
