USAA Rejects Military Members’ Calls to Pull NFL Sponsorship – By Craig Bannister (cnsnews.com) / Oct 13 2017
Despite complaints from its military service customer base, USAA says it won’t pull its sponsorship of the National Football League (NFL) in response to players’ protests of the National Anthem at games.
USAA members, both former and current service members, have launched petitions, taken to social media, and called to urge the company to disassociate from an organization that supports disrespect to the nation, The San Antonio Express-News reports:
“USAA’s getting jeered over its sponsorship of the NFL in the wake of some players kneeling during the national anthem before Sunday’s games. Some of those upset by the players’ actions have taken to social media in hopes of pressuring USAA to end its ties with the league.”
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“USAA might be in tougher spot than other companies simply because its customers are current and former members of the military, where it’s a ritual to salute the flag during the anthem.”
On September 27, USAA responded to member complaints and petitions on its community forum by saying it would not pull its support of the NFL:
“We have no plans to end our role as the Official Military Appreciation Sponsor of the NFL.”
Yet, earlier this year, USAA heeded its members’ complaints when the company pulled its sponsorship of Sean Hannity’s Fox News Channel program, the Express-News notes:
“By comparison, USAA flip-flopped after a firestorm erupted when it yanked its ads from Hannity’s show. ‘Advertising on opinion shows is not in accordance with our policy,’ the company said in response to a comment on Twitter.
“Less than a week later, USAA bowed to pressure from its customer base and others and reinstated the ads on Hannity’s show, as well as other opinion news programs.”
A campaign by the Media Research Center, the parent organization of CNSNews.com, was instrumental in convincing USAA to reinstate its advertising on Hannity’s program, AP reports:
“Brent Bozell, president of the conservative Media Research Center, said he wasn’t surprised by USAA’s decision, ‘given the avalanche’ of protests. His group was behind mobilizing that backlash, and said its members generated more than 1,600 phone calls to USAA within 48 hours.
“’They did the right think in going back on that show,’ he said, ‘and so long as the other side isn’t participating in personal smears, they should participate on those shows, too.’”
PB/TK – OK so you’re upset about the USAA’s sponsorship and if they do not comply are members going to leave in protest? Will they find the same quality affordable service provided by the USAA
