WHITE MEN WHERE NEW BALANCE:

Unlike Kaepernick, Nike didn't do this because the company's officers are especially brave or "woke." While its stock was down a bit right after the announcement of Kaepernick's role, most financial analysts expect that the sports apparel company's bottom line will benefit from its association with him.

Its customer base skews toward consumers of color, who are likely to support the athlete's socially conscious gestures.

According to TMZ Sports, "African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians are more strongly represented in Nike's consumer base than they are in the U.S. population." Equally important, its sales depend on younger adults, not baby boomers with bad knees. TMZ says: "18- to 34-year-olds comprise 30 percent of the U.S. population, but they represent a whopping 43 percent of Nike buyers." In other words, the company doesn't see its future in the purchasing power of older whites.

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