During early December’s Week 13 games players right across the NFL wore custom cleats reflecting their commitment to charitable causes under the league’s #MyCauseMyCleats Campaign.
With the objective of raising awareness for charities specific to each individual players, the NFL encourages its stars to express themselves with custom cleats and raise funds for the causes they personally support through a league-wide post-game cleat auction at NFL Auction (http://www.nflauction.nfl.com/).
All funds raised will be donated to each individual player’s own designated charity.
According to the NFL itself, more than 500 players participated in the initiative by working with their own footwear partners to design and create their custom kicks that raised awareness and funds for issues ranging from domestic violence and racism, to animal cruelty.
The campaign saw the NFL run a ‘My Cleats, My Cause’ TV spot throughout multiple week 13 games.
The commercial features New York Jets’ wide receiver Brandon Marshall who designed his own cleats in partnership with his Project 375 foundation – which works to raise awareness of mental health challenges.
The programme was also promoted at-game and online by the league across its official digital (http://www.nfl.com/mycausemycleats) and social platforms
.@buffalobills QB @TyrodTaylor's custom cleats for Week 13! #MyCauseMyCleats pic.twitter.com/ViUoKhVi9g
— NFL (@NFL) November 29, 2016
and by all of its teams too (see this NFL Network/Dallas Cowboys video).
Sean Lee's custom cleats embody his Sean Lee Dreambuilders organization for #MyCauseMyCleats
Learn more: https://t.co/Zbca0Jqh4i pic.twitter.com/sXWjCFcdve— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 29, 2016
.@Mathieu_Era's #MyCauseMyCleats this week.
The Honey Badger's cause is @RISEtoWIN. pic.twitter.com/71AD4MeLaa
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 29, 2016
.@PierreGarcon will wear these custom cleats for #MyCauseMyCleats week supporting his Helping Hands Foundation.
: https://t.co/tHtN2WyHmB pic.twitter.com/SCbiJQHaLs
— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) November 29, 2016
.@BBortles5 will support the @Bb5Foundation with his #MyCauseMyCleats!
Learn more: https://t.co/tmvBbs6n3Q pic.twitter.com/pCB59Tmyjk
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) November 29, 2016
The players themselves also promoted their own cleats and causes through their personal social channels.
Panthers’ tight end Greg Olsen wore cleats that told the story of his son, T.J., who survived a heart defect, to raise awareness for congenital heart defects and the HEARTest Yard initiative.
Thanks @usnikefootball for my custom #mycausemycleats supporting #TheHEARTestYard program @LevineChildrens. #CHDawareness @NFL @Panthers pic.twitter.com/ltqzEZDFsZ
— Greg Olsen (@gregolsen88) November 29, 2016
No fewer than 10 players wore gold cleats in support of the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) – a non-profit organization which works to sideline racism.
#SidelineRacism: @Trujohnson2 lacing up his RISE cleats. It's #GameDay: pic.twitter.com/HF2mz0ObYc
— RISE (@RISEtoWIN) December 4, 2016
Others included:
Of course footwear brands including Adidas, Nike and Under Armour and Adidas and the charities themselves all amplified the initiative too.
‘One of the great NFL traditions is how our players passionately support important causes in their communities and around the globe every year,’ commented NFL Comissioner Roger Goodell.
‘They are incredibly creative by nature so we are not surprised how they are seizing the opportunity this week with inspiring expressions of their charitable commitments on their cleats, online and through social media.’
Comment
Normally the NFL is very strict about preventing players from wearing custom footwear.
The league has a strict uniform policy (to protect sponsors and avoid being pulled into controversial issues about politics and opinion), and the NFL often issues fines against players who deviate from its the league-wide dress code.
And that code usually includes cleats too.
Indeed, earlier this season Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was fined $6000 just because his Yeezy cleats didn’t have a solid base color.
Thus, when it lifts its restrictions for a week to promote good causes and enable players to promote serious issues close to their own hearts it has an enhanced effect. And profile.
Link
NFL ‘My Cause My Cleats’ Web:
http://www.nfl.com/mycausemycleats
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http://www.nflauction.nfl.com/
NFL Website
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