JT dropped by Ralph Lauren

[DLBTide7]

We are all human and make mistakes. JT’s slur was directed at himself, not at any other individual. He immediately apologized - not days later... not on Twitter... not through a statement by his agent ...immediately and on television.

 

My hope is that, in the future, our societal intolerance for human mistakes, returns to one of forgiveness. 

 

RL has the right to discontinue the partnership. I have the right to spend my money on other brands. Which I intend to do. 

 

[Rambler1277]

RLX can't afford to have LGBT's getting upset because they spend a crapload of money on stupid stuff like RLX gear and they get upset very very easily. Probably a very nice payday and a ton of fringe benefits so I'm sure he'll close his eyes, take his punishment and be back on next year with a somewhat stunned look on his face.

Edited January 16, 2021 by Rambler1277

[RSinSG]

A talk show personality once said we were all one word away from disaster. Sadly that is proving to be true. 

[Hawkeye77]

1 hour ago, Holy Moses said:

Polo leaving the door open for a reunion is not what I expected either

Them not meaning one bit of that is what I expect. 

Edited January 16, 2021 by Hawkeye77

[bigeasy]

4 hours ago, dbelles1 said:

i wonder who would pick him up.

Who wouldnt 

[BallerNate]

What a knee-jerk overreaction...my gosh everyone is so overly sensitive now. He messed up, he took accountability immediately and apologized, and many athletes have made much bigger mistakes and not been dropped. I think RL will regret this move, and for sure JT will be picked up quickly once everything blows over in a few months.

[Soloman1]

I’ve never worn anything because a tour pro got paid to wear it, so I really don’t care.

 

I don’t feel sorry for him; I don’t feel anything for the brand.

 

I don’t understand why anyone else would care either. But, I’m a curmudgeon.

[Fairways_and_Greens]

The real winner here is JT. There is so much better looking gear.

[stryper]

38 minutes ago, Rambler1277 said:

RLX can't afford to have LGBT's getting upset because they spend a crapload of money on stupid stuff like RLX gear and they get upset very very easily. Probably a very nice payday and a ton of fringe benefits so I'm sure he'll close his eyes, take his punishment and be back on next year with a somewhat stunned look on his face.

Interesting take...I wonder if there wasn’t an opt-out clause that pays JT a ton of money in the event of some unforeseen circumstances.  RL panders to their base, and still JT makes money.🤷🏻‍♂️

[PedronNiall]

His apology was heartfelt and genuine by all appearances. It's not surprising. I hope the brand's offer to take him back is genuine as well, because while it is important given a lot of what's going on to show that certain attitudes aren't tolerated at all, it's also important to show that forgiveness and reconciliation are possible as well.

 

In the end it's all about the brand, situation, and medium. I can think of very recent utterances by "influencers" on certain platforms who faced no financial backlash despite making far worse slips, and I can think of people who were literally doing the right thing who were fired because their companies acted without having all the facts at hand. They clearly took a few days to weigh the situation, and apparently viewed dropping him at least for now as necessary.

 

As others have said the fashion world is very different overall and I have no doubt this made the rounds almost instantly on some well-circulated channels. He's an adult and he'll survive just fine. I don't see RL's decision as egregious and won't stop wearing any Polo gear over it. It's a bit funny that people who view their action as extreme are taking the extreme action of outright cancelling the brand from their own closets. shrug

[Krt22]

17 minutes ago, BallerNate said:

What a knee-jerk overreaction...my gosh everyone is so overly sensitive now. He messed up, he took accountability immediately and apologized, and many athletes have made much bigger mistakes and not been dropped. I think RL will regret this move, and for sure JT will be picked up quickly once everything blows over in a few months.

It really has nothing to do with sensitivity and everything to do with dollars and cents given how easily customers can be won or lost in this day and age.  The marketplace for high end goods is extremely saturated, so many consumers shop with much more than just their wallet. How its made, where its made, the ideals of the company, can all influence consumer trends now. Some folks will quickly boycott a brand that they don't think aligns with their lifestyle or values. With that being said, anything remotely associated with hate speech towards any given marginalized community can mean an immediate revenue hit, which is why these decisions are made swiftly. RL probably won't regret this at all, they likely stood to lose much more revenue from non-golfers than what JT brought in through his endorsements.

 

The whataboutisms aren't valid in this case, given "bigger" is very subjective and when they were made is extremely relevant. With the massive reach of modern social media, what is deemed acceptable rapidly evolves. If you want to use your likeness to generate revenue in this space, you better evolve just as fast, because in certain cases there is no room for error. When you see people lose their endorsements for similar offenses (ie Scott Piercy), you need to better yourself to the point you don't make the same mistake in the first place. 

[adeangelis]

2 hours ago, CasualLie said:

What’s with the fascination with Peter Millar???  Credit to them having a great sales rep, but outside of that - golf pedestrian.

I’m not sure your experiences, but mine have been great. Their pants/shorts and mid-layers are fantastic. Their polos can fit a little big at times so you have to sort out which style works best. They’re much better quality than Nike/Adidas/UA and are a little cheaper than Polo Golf. To each their own though. 

[bscinstnct]

52 minutes ago, DLBTide7 said:

We are all human and make mistakes. JT’s slur was directed at himself, not at any other individual. He immediately apologized - not days later... not on Twitter... not through a statement by his agent ...immediately and on television.

 

My hope is that, in the future, our societal intolerance for human mistakes, returns to one of forgiveness. 

 

RL has the right to discontinue the partnership. I have the right to spend my money on other brands. Which I intend to do. 

 

 

So...you gonna get rid of all your polo shirts?

 

Or do they get “grand fathered” into the wardrobe?

 

JT should go IZOD!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Whiskey_fire]

Nike 100p

[ALIF]

Oakley!

[manku]

Immediately when this happened I said RL would drop him by weeks end.   It’s there in the other thread.  
 

People still don’t get it.  It’s not a curse word.  It’s a vile hate word. No one uses it randomly unless they’ve said it a thousand times before.  Especially at age 28. 
 

I don’t think RL customers would care, but the dozens (hundreds?) of gay employees of RL definitely would. 

[Aviador Naval]

4 hours ago, soregongolfer said:

Must be regional.  That word has never been socially acceptable where I live.  

How old are you?  Serious question and your answer won’t be met with a bunch of gibberish justifying usage.

 

When I was young it was a VERY common derision that could only be topped by inserting an F-bomb in front of it.   To be honest, I’m not sure those that used it were even heavily/directly equating the demographic it slights with the target of the word in usage.  Not quite the same but some similarity to the true shift in meaning of the word like gay and qu**r from the first half of the twentieth century.

 

To me, the fact it was used by somebody as young as JT is what surprised me.  The societal change to acknowledgement/acceptance of the LBGT community was in full force well before JT was born.  I have kids JTs age and still work with a critical mass of folks in that age group.  I have heard my fair share of salty “not for polite society” talk over the years but haven’t heard that one in over a decade.

Edited January 16, 2021 by Aviador Naval

[JRS1939]

This is the problem with America.  Instead of standing behind the man that recognized he made a tremendous mistake and helping him grow even more with support, you just dump him.   Makes what Nike did for Tiger during the bottom look even better.

[capking]

I’d be shocked if anyone posting in this thread owns a RL polo

[2bGood]

 He deserves second chances, seem like a good guy too. But words don't just slip out unless you use them on a somewhat regular basis.

 

I grew up in an era where that word was said allot. That was 20 years ago, I suspect I have not used that word in 15+ years and even in a moment of anger it would not just pop out. 

 

There is a pretty short list of words not to use. Stop using them and there is no chance they slip out by accident in the wrong situation. 

 

Business is business - RL doesn't think he will help them self stuff anymore, so they are under no obligation to keep working with him.

Edited January 16, 2021 by 2bGood

[hoselpalooza]

4 hours ago, soregongolfer said:

Must be regional.  That word has never been socially acceptable where I live.  

 

i grew up in the 80's and will occasionally hear it whilst re-watching movies from my childhood. it's easy to forget how prevalent its usage was. e.g. recently heard it in one of the old "bill and ted" movies. and as a kid from california i can confirm the word was used very frequently as an insult among boys. south park even had an episode about its overuse.

 

fortunately, a lot has changed in the past 30+ years.

 

RL understandably did what they needed to do for their business. they would get roasted for anything less. i don't think there was a viable alternative for them and that's OK.

 

JT made a huge mistake and seems genuinely contrite. because he didn't act out of maliciousness he still has an opportunity to use his platform to promote inclusion and turn this thing around. maybe some good will come out of all of this in the end.

 

in any event, JT will be fine. and just like a bad golf shot, we'll forget about this in a few news cycles but the lesson will be remembered.

[Flip4000]

6 hours ago, dbelles1 said:

i wonder who would pick him up.

 

Logically Footjoy would be a good pick since he is already a titleist staffer and wears footjoy shoes. They also make clothes that fit his more classical style.  JT gonna win again soon, and if he doesn't have a polo hat on, its gonna hurt them more than anything.

 

[Flip4000]

6 hours ago, dbelles1 said:

i wonder who would pick him up.

 

Logically Footjoy would be a good pick since he is already a titleist staffer and wears footjoy shoes. They also make clothes that fit his more classical style.  JT gonna win again soon, and if he doesn't have a polo hat on, its gonna hurt them more than anything.

 

[Flip4000]

5 hours ago, adeangelis said:

My two sense; they were looking to make cuts and this was a good excuse to not pay someone a few million a year. I’m not sure they hold up well against a company like Peter Millar who might as well be the Polo of golf. 

In all fairness, while JT probably sold the most for RLX i don't think he moved the needle too much for them compared to say a Tiger, Rory, wolf, or even morikawa. 

 

 If dropping JT holds, I cant see them staying in golf much longer. My thought is he'll just move to footjoy. Idk if he is adidas flashy, however if Nike or Adidas was able to snag him, that would be a pretty slick deal for brand visibility as he is definitely going to continue to win.

 

Although adidas is a pretty stacked house right now, and doesn't really need another person, especially with a black mark on him. 

[jqsmooth]

Wow, consequences for one's action.  What a concept.

[Flip4000]

4 hours ago, gevans24 said:

The more money you make a co, the bigger figure head you are, the more people that follow you etc, the harder it is to drop you. 

 

Example, Piercy (whom I like) dropped real quick by Titleist. Now, you're gonna see Titleist drop JT.

Eh, idk, I think titleist might keep him. 

[Mustard_Tiger]

I will be dropping Ralph Lauren from my future clothing purchases.

[Flip4000]

5 hours ago, drgolfaholic said:

A few years ago, Kobe’s homophobic slur was met with stiff fine, but none of his sponsors budged.  I wouldn’t call it cancel culture, which implies incidence occurred in the distant past.  Cultural shift is a good thing.  JT will be fine.  

Kobe is on a different level than JT to the point it would have probably actively hurt sponsors to drop him. Now if he did it today vs a few years ago, it probably would have been a much bigger issue that sponsors would have had to think much harder about.

[adeangelis]

20 minutes ago, Flip4000 said:

In all fairness, while JT probably sold the most for RLX i don't think he moved the needle too much for them compared to say a Tiger, Rory, wolf, or even morikawa. 

 

 If dropping JT holds, I cant see them staying in golf much longer. My thought is he'll just move to footjoy. Idk if he is adidas flashy, however if Nike or Adidas was able to snag him, that would be a pretty slick deal for brand visibility as he is definitely going to continue to win.

 

Although adidas is a pretty stacked house right now, and doesn't really need another person, especially with a black mark on him. 

I’m not sure what happens. Polo Golf has some great stuff here and there. I’m much more inclined to go out and get Peter Millar. I think if JT wants the Polo style, PM is a great fit for him. Now, can PM afford JT? I’m not so sure. I’ll throw this out there, JT has a good relationship with Michael Jordan. He wears ALOT of retro Jordan’s when he’s not playing. Add him to the Jordan Brand lineup...

[iBanesto]

Maybe Thomas will now move away from the traditional classic golf look...

 

I love the classic look though.