University of Missouri's defensive end Michael Sam recently announced that he is gay, a move that came three months prior to the NFL Draft. His announcement certainly drew a lot of praise for his courage, and much criticism as well. Even President Barack Obama acknowledged the issue and expressed admiration for Sam: "I really like the fact that he did it before the draft ... Because his attitude was, 'You know what? I know who I am. I know I can play great football and judge me on the merits."
From a marketing perspective, marketers believe that Sam's announcement is sure to grab the attention of the biggest corporate sponsors. Companies have shunned gay athletes in the past, but the attitudes have changed and sexual orientation won't stop them from getting the endorsements. For Sam, his brave decision to come out before the draft could boost his appeal to marketers. Nike, one of the juggernauts in the sports industry, sponsored NBA player Jason Collins after he came out and became the first active major sports player to do so. Nike has promoted diversity and inclusiveness in recent years, and this year launched the #BETRUE shoe collection which includes rainbow colors in support of gay pride. Sam and his publicist are downplaying the media attention and focusing on the draft process. Sam is projected to be a 3rd-5th round pick in the upcoming draft.
Reference: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-02-10/sports/sns-rt-us-usa-football-gay-marketing-analysis-20140210_1_nfl-scouting-combine-sponsorship-dollars-gay-athletes, ESPN.com
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