Nike Inc. said Thursday it was dropping its breach of contract lawsuit against Olympic running prospect Boris Berian, a case that had sparked tensions within the running world.
Source: Nike Drops Lawsuit Against Olympic Hopeful Boris Berian
There is a word that has become synonymous with bandwagon, or in Hip-Hop, D–kriding, and that word is “Stan”. A Stan is a person who rides and dies with a particular brand, thing, item, no matter what information is released about that brand, thing, or item.
Nike has created a culture of “Stans” and it’s a beautiful thing for the brand. It makes for a great case study. I post information about Nike, because it drives traffic, because people are so enamored with the brand, that by sharing information about Nike, my brand gets a direct benefit in traffic.
There is a problem with being a Stan though. It limits the opportunities for a competitive market. When there isn’t a competitive market then people can be mistreated. If you take the time to do a search on Nike and Olympic athletes you will find a troubling story of the lack of support that Nike extends to the US Track and Field family. The source link above is one of those cases. Boris Berian is an 800 meter champion and Olympic hopeful. He was being sued by Nike for breach of contract. Now, a Stan would say, “Hey he signed and he should honor it.” A person who understands the danger of “Stanning” would realize the guy was finished with his contract and New Balance offered him a chance to train without being homeless basically. I could go into greater detail, but it’s there for you to read so check it out.
