It started as a simple way for players to tell their story two seasons ago, one which drew the ire of the NFL as a uniform violation, but one which has grown to be much more of a platform as players continue to find more of a social voice and express themselves in a positive and unifying manner for reasons beyond the game.
So beginning this past Thursday night, the NFL again allowed hundreds of players to use their cleats as a form of expression for charitable causes as part of #MyCauseMyCleats. This year there were also creators selected to design some of the pairs, a good new next step. Every team has players, and many have coaches, participate for charities and as a call to action big and small. Some pushed their own foundation; others looked to bigger causes like social injustice and mental health. In all, by being out in front and proactive with the players for an extended period of at least three weeks, the league and the players continue to unlock a best practice that can be replicated throughout sport as a mosaic of social good. The campaign was another opportunity for players to give time and effort on a national stage for the events and the people they support. The full list can be seen here
Following Week 13 games, hundreds of players will donate their cleats by auctioning them on NFL Auction.
Visa — the official payments services technology partner of the NFL — is working with NFL Auction to help expand this year’s donation process by providing people with an option to make donations to select player’s causes, whether they chose to bid on the player’s cleats or not.
The NFL is supporting this year’s My Cause My Cleats with a multi-platform campaign, including a spot that calls out the many causes that NFL players have chosen to support.
The anchor spot features Devin McCourty (New England Patriots), Chris Godwin (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Jarvis Landry (New Orleans Saints) and Rashan Gary (Green Bay Packers).
Additional spots will run with players including Jonathan Jones (New England Patriots).
This year, more than 30% of players have chosen to support various forms of cancer and other physical health related causes, while nearly 20% have selected topics related to youth and education, according to the NFL.
The picture gallery is quite the mosaic, as a host of players work hard to gain visibility with a number of colors and styles, some working closely with the shoe companies to drive optimal exposure. Those with a well-orchestrated social media campaign and footprint do even better to the call to action, and the team and league support for the initiative drove much more media attention than a one off effort by a player with mixed results. .
At its generic best the opportunity again showed how a league can stray from the uniformity of uniforms and put charity on the forefront. While there cannot be abuse or even control by the sneaker companies, the ability to drive awareness for causes and the dedication of athlete’s shows that there is more than a one off opportunity here and this is something that could gain ground across sports and around the world as a call to action for issues big and small.
#MyCauseMyCleats is a great call to cause, with each player given their chance to share a story with the shoes. Its impact, especially in a season where social activation has become a lightning rod for controversy, should not be understated, and its value is probably still growing with subsequent actions and other fundraising events tied to the shoes.
With the sneakerhead culture still roaring along, one would think there is an NBA and NCAA play here soon as well, maybe around All-Star.
Credit should go where credit is due, and giving players the chance to do theirs with their kicks is more than worthwhile.
