Professional sports franchises, like most businesses, do whatever they can to appeal to the most potential consumers possible. In most cases, this means that they shy away from making any statements or stands that could offend a sizable portion of their fan base. Few topics divide more than politics, and so teams typically reserve comments on social issues for special occasions in which a groundswell of support makes silence untenable. This phenomenon is certainly not unique to the NBA or other leagues, but it's apparent enough that any crossing of that line tends to stand out.
An official mascot appearing at an event for a state political party would seem to qualify. Rocky, the plush mountain lion who represents the Denver Nuggets, showed up alongside 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney and others at a rally for the Colorado Republican Committee and the party's various candidates for office this November. This tweet proves as much (via Deadspin):
The tweet was deleted soon after its posting. All registered voters, even those who wear animal costumes, are able to support any candidates they wish. Of course, most don't do so in association with a major sports franchise, and that has upset Rocky's bosses with the Nuggets. From David Krause for The Denver Post:
Nuggets marketing manager Graham Wincott, who handles Rocky and his appearances, said the team's mascot showing up at the GOP event was "an unsanctioned, unpaid appearance that we had no knowledge of." [...] "As a sports team, we want to be apolitical," Wincott said. "Two things we never touch on are politics and religion." [...]
Wincott said the matter was being handled "internally" but the organization is setting "new protocol for anyone who wears a mascot uniform for a Kroenke sports team."
Ken Solomon has played Rocky for more than 20 years. As Rocky, he posed for pictures Monday and danced on stage with various GOP volunteers at the event before the political speeches began. [...]
"I was surprised and pleased to see Rocky before the rally yesterday, and understand he was there at the invitation and as a guest of a long-time supporter of Mitt Romney and Bob Beauprez," Colorado Republican Party chairman Ryan Call wrote in an e-mail Tuesday. "Although he did not play a role in the formal program, it was terrific to see him interacting with Nuggets fans and putting smiles on the faces of people in the gathering crowd before the rally started.
"I'm sure everyone understands that his appearance in no way implies an endorsement by the Denver Nuggets of any candidate or party. Nuggets fans also understand that even Rocky has First Amendment rights and the Colorado Republican Party stands with him."
It's hard to know where to start when a report involves someone saying that Mitt Romney knows an NBA mascot well enough to extend a personal invitation to a political rally, but let's begin by noting that Rocky does not have First Amendment rights because he is a creation of the Denver Nuggets, not a citizen of the United States. Ken Solomon does have those rights, though, which is why he has received a stern talking-to and maybe a punishment from bosses instead of being taken off to jail for dancing with a bunch of political candidates and GOP officials. I assume that Call does not want businesses to lose their legal ability to discipline their own employees internally. Plus, Stan Kroenke, owner of Kroenke Sports Enterprises, is known as a longtime Republican (though he has given to Democratic candidates, including U.S. senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri in 2012), so the Nuggets aren't exactly carrying the flag for the GOP's opposition.
The issue here isn't just that dunking off trampolines doesn't have a lot to do with repealing Obamacare, but that Solomon used an image associated with the Nuggets in the service of political candidates. It's understandable that he would feel some ownership of the Rocky character after 20 years. However, the Colorado GOP presumably wanted him there because the Nuggets are a popular organization in the area and it would be beneficial to connect with their brand. It's the sort of appearance that must be cleared with the franchise first, because Rocky is more a symbol for the Nuggets than a freestanding character. It's easy to see the team acting similarly if Rocky showed up at a restaurant to dance for an endless appetizers promotion.
It probably didn't help matters that it was a political event, especially given that the event was not limited to Republican challenger for governor Bob Beauprez and could therefore be seen as a broader stance a month away from an election, when animosity between parties can get fairly intense. Franchises will support certain controversial causes when they deem it appropriate, but aligning with an entire party suggests deeply held allegiances. A single issue can eventually become less prominent over time — ideology doesn't go away easily.
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at efreeman_ysports@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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