Stephen Curry speaks out against Under Armour CEO's support for Trump
Golden State Warriors star and Under Armour athlete Stephen Curry has taken issue with the brand’s chief executive describing president Donald Trump as an “asset” to the United States.
Stephen Curry
During an interview with CNBC on Tuesday, Under Armour chief executive, Kevin Plank, expressed support for Trump when he said: "To have such a pro-business president is something that is a real asset for the country."
Plank’s remarks caused a stir on social media, with the hashtag calling for people to boycott the brand.
Curry responded to the endorsement when he told the Mercury News that he agreed with Plank if you remove “the ET from asset”.
As a brand ambassador for Under Armour with a footwear deal, Curry generates a significant percentage of revenue for the brand, estimated to be around $200m in 2016. His disagreement with Plank could be cause for concern, particularly given his remarks, which indicated his willingness to sever ties with partners over contrary opinions.
"If there is a situation where I can look at myself in the mirror and say they don't have my best intentions, they don't have the right attitude about taking care of people," Curry said. "If I can say the leadership is not in line with my core values, then there is no amount of money, there is no platform I wouldn't jump off if it wasn't in line with who I am. So that's a decision I will make every single day when I wake up.
"If something is not in line with what I'm about, then, yeah, I definitely need to take a stance in that respect."
The basketball star went on to clarify that the important factor which he looks for in his commercial partners was whether they were “promoting change” and not being “so self-serving that it's only about making money”.
According to the NY Times, Curry and his advisers spent all day on Tuesday speaking to representatives from Under Armour, “trying to understand what was going on and where everybody stood on the issue”.
Following the discussions between the two parties, Under Armour released a statement in an attempt to clarify its chief executive’s remarks.
“We engage in policy, not politics,” the statement read. “We believe in advocating for fair trade, an inclusive immigration policy that welcomes the best and the brightest and those seeking opportunity in the great tradition of our country, and tax reform that drives hiring to help create new jobs globally, across America and in Baltimore.”