Couch: Corporations Show True Colors With Stances On Watson, MLB

We need a reality check about corporate America’s decisions to distance itself from Deshaun Watson and also Major League Baseball’s moves against the state of Georgia.

When Nike and other companies ended their endorsement deals with Watson, was that corporate America’s way of judging Watson guilty of being a sexual predator, guilty of sexually assaulting or harassing the 22 women who have accused him? Or was it a way of standing up for the women? No and no. It was neither of those.

When MLB moved its All-Star Game from Atlanta to Denver, was that because MLB thought Georgia’s new voting laws were racist? No. 

These aren’t decisions of social conscience or wokeness, or of right and wrong. Nike and MLB and others aren’t delving into the details so much as monitoring public opinion. They are looking at their bottom line and making business decisions, not social justice ones. That is, unless they think social justice sells.

They are neither social leaders nor social followers. They are simply multi-billion dollar businesses doing what they are paid to do: make more money and protect what they have.

There is nothing wrong with that. That’s the job. And the people making the decisions are at work when they’re doing it.

Before the allegations, when Watson was known as an up-and-coming superstar and all-around Mr. Nice Guy, Nike wasn’t rewarding him for being a good human being. It was signing someone it thought would sell shoes. Of course, being seen as a good human being was part of the sale.

They were purchasing an image, not a reality. And when that image disappears -- no matter what the reality -- his value to the business disappears or even becomes a negative.

So they drop him.

The confluence of business and morality, public relations and political leanings can be hard to sift through at times. It all rolls up into one big, tangled ball.

And it doesn’t help when MLB commissioner Rob Manfred makes statements like the one he did:

“The best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft.’’

Statements like that are the problem, claiming a little PR on the side by appearing to stand up for women or for voters’ rights.

It’s called virtue signaling, or BSing your way into making people think your decisions are about doing the right thing. Here’s the real reason for virtue signaling:

Manfred must feel that his customers want MLB to do the right thing. That sells.

Actually, in MLB’s case, there is a little more involved. Reports are that a significant number of players wanted to take a stand against Georgia’s voting laws. Meanwhile, baseball and the players are about to have a major labor fight. So this was not the time to start another fight with players.

When you hear statements such as Manfred’s, you can get worked up over the hypocrisy of MLB or of Nike. How can these companies continue to do business with China with its human rights record, while claiming that they are making decisions based on demonstrating “our values as a sport’’?

Within a week of announcing that it was moving the All-Star Game, MLB cut a deal with Tencent, a Chinese firm, to broadcast All-Star Games and regular season and postseason games in Asia. Meanwhile, Nike still uses slave labor in China to make its gear.

So it doesn’t want to be associated with Watson, but it is OK with being associated with slave labor?

Isn’t that hypocrisy on morality? Well, maybe, but it’s consistent. Nike would support Watson and move out of China if that’s what the bottom line called for.

If you want these companies to make different decisions, then make that worth it to them. The NBA felt the pressure from TVs not turning on during its constant, very loud Black Lives Matter statements last year.

Meanwhile, the NFL is still trying to figure out what its bottom line is saying about Watson, one of its biggest stars, and whether he can still be in the league.

Luckily for the NFL, it has a little time before practices start and it has to make a decision. Nike didn’t have that luxury.

“We are deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations and have suspended Deshaun Watson,’’ Nike said in a statement. “We will continue to closely monitor the situation.’’

If it weren’t monitoring the situation, then Nike wouldn’t be doing its job.