EMBED >More News Videos FULL VIDEO: Nike unveils commercial narrated by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. EMBED >More News Videos Harvard black culture awards to honor Colin Kaepernick EMBED >More News Videos ABC13 sits down with a professor from the University of Houston to discuss the controversial "take a knee movement." COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado -- A Colorado sports apparel store owner is closing up shop months after he vowed to ban Nike items because of the brand's support of Colin Kaepernick.As KOAA reported on Monday, Stephen Martin, owner of Prime Time Sports, said it became difficult to continue business with Nike making apparel for a lot of pro and college sports teams. The brand has exclusive contracts with the NFL and NBA, for example. "Being a sports store without Nike is kind of like being a milk store without milk or a gas station without gas. How do you do it? They have a monopoly on jerseys," said Martin.Last year, Martin decided to boycott the recognized brand after the company's ad campaign with the out-of-work football player. Before that, he cancelled an autograph session at this store with Brandon Marshall because, like Kaepernick, he knelt during the national anthem. "As much as I hate to admit this, perhaps there are more Brandon Marshall and Colin Kaepernick supporters out there than I realized," Martin told KOAA.Martin also cited online shopping competition for a declining sales in recent years.Despite the closure and laying off his staff, Martin said he's leaving with dignity. "I didn't give in to big Nike and big dollars. I didn't give in. I did it my way," Martin said. "That part of the military respect that's in me just cannot be sacrificed or compromised, as I believe Brandon Marshall and Colin Kaepernick both did. I don't like losing a business over it, but I rather be able to live with myself," he told the TV station.<doc-sep>'Not A Monster': Devon Erickson's Defense Attorney Says STEM School Shooting Suspect Was 'Confused Kid'Devon Erickson has pleaded not guilty to murder in the deadly shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch on May 7, 2019. 6 hours ago Trail Ridge Road Could Reopen As Soon As Friday At Rocky Mountain National ParkTrail Ridge Road could reopen as soon as Friday in Rocky Mountain National Park, if weather and conditions allow. 7 hours ago DICK's Sporting Goods Park To Operate At Full Capacity Starting July 4DICKS's Sporting Goods Park will hold Colorado Rapids games at full capacity starting July 4. 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Make Sure You're Eligible To Win $1 Million From ColoradoAs Coloradans started researching their own records, many noticed their vaccinations were either not listed on the state’s website, or they were not listed as a known resident of Colorado. 8 hours ago<doc-sep>A store in Colorado will be closing down after more than 20 years in business after its decision to stop selling Nike merchandise. The store, Prime Time Sports, first made headlines in September when it announced it would pull Nike merchandise to protest the company's decision to feature former NFL player Colin Kaepernick as the face of its ad campaign. Stephen Martin, Prime Time's owner, told a local NBC station that he made the decision to close the store permanently on Sunday night, saying he “can’t keep the doors open anymore.” ADVERTISEMENT “Being a sports store without Nike is kind of like being a milk store without milk or a gas station without gas. How do you do it? They have a monopoly on jerseys,” Martin told the station. Martin said he realized last year that he could go out of business over the decision to remove Nike merchandise, given that a sizable chunk of his inventory was NFL jerseys that are exclusive to Nike. Martin, at the time, called the brand was "the mother of all harlots." Martin added that although Kaepernick "sacrificed a salary," nothing "compared to what every soul on our 'Honor the Flag' memorial wall that was built a few years ago has suffered and died for. " He told KOAA News 5 this week that he canceled an autograph session at his store with former Denver Broncos player Brandon Marshall in 2016 to protest the athlete’s decision to take a knee during the national anthem. “As much as I hate to admit this, perhaps there are more Brandon Marshall and Colin Kaepernick supporters out there than I realized,” he added. Kaepernick, a former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, first sparked controversy in 2016 when he began on-field demonstrations during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice. The former NFL player, who has remained unsigned for two years, has been targeted frequently by President Trump Donald TrumpTrump lashes out after grand jury seated for New York criminal probe Schumer tees up vote on Jan. 6 commission bill Senators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission MORE and his base for protesting during the national anthem. Nike unveiled its ad featuring Kaepernick last year with the slogan "Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything."<doc-sep>Nike took a risk when it released a controversial advertising campaign featuring former NFL star Colin Kaepernick, and that risk paid off. Nike shares rose 36 percent in 2018, even though some stores and customers boycotted the brand. Now, a Colorado sporting goods store that stopped selling Nike products is closing its doors, in part due to the owner's boycott. Prime Time Sports owner Stephen Martin took issue with the Kaepernick ad — which was released in September 2018 — and decided to boycott Nike products in retaliation, according to CBS Denver. Now, the Colorado Springs store is going out of business. Kaepernick became a polarizing figure when he began kneeling during the national anthem at NFL games in 2016. He sparked a movement, and other players started kneeling as a silent protest of police brutality and racial injustice. Some people, like Martin, were outraged by Nike's choice to hire Kaepernick. The store owner started selling his Nike products at highly-discounted prices, even though the brand's products made up 40 to 50 percent of his inventory. Five months later, the risk he took to boycott Nike did not pay off. "Being a sports store and not having Nike jerseys is kind of like being a milk store without milk or a gas station without gas," Martin told KKTV. "They have a virtual monopoly on jerseys. There is no other option." While the busy holiday shopping season helped the store, that was apparently not enough to keep it alive. Martin announced Monday on Facebook everything inside Prime Time Sports is now 40 percent off and after 21 years, he's going out of business. "For everybody that has offered help and support through the "Honor The Flag" memorial wall and NIKE boycott, now is your time to help me liquidate," he wrote. "Please do your Facebook thing with everyone you know so this can go as quickly as possible." Martin had a photo wall of military heroes in the window of his store, which he hopes he is remembered for.<doc-sep>
A Colorado sports store stopped selling Nike items last year after the brand named Colin Kaepernick as the face of its "Just Do It" campaign. A Colorado sports store is closing its doors after sales dropped following the owner's decision last year to stop stocking Nike items, according to KOAA News 5 in Pueblo, Col. Prime Time Sports owner Stephen Martin told News 5 that he can no longer afford his lease at Chapel Hills Mall in Colorado Springs after being open over 20 years. Last year he decided to stop selling Nike items after the brand made former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick the face of its 30th anniversary "Just Do It" campaign. "Being a sports store without Nike is kind of like being a milk store without milk or a gas station without gas. How do you do it? They have a monopoly on jerseys," Martin said. Martin said that he sells apparel for all 32 NFL teams but no longer sells players' jerseys, which are manufactured by Nike. He also told News 5 that he canceled an autograph signing with Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall at his store in 2016 because Marshall chose to kneel during the national anthem before games. "As much as I hate to admit this, perhaps there are more Brandon Marshall and Colin Kaepernick supporters out there than I realized," he said. Kaepernick hasn't played in the NFL since 2016 when he decided to begin kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and police brutality. Dozens of other NFL players ultimately joined him. Nike named Kaepernick as the face of its "Just Do It" campaign in September 2018. Gino Fisanotti, the company's vice president of brand for North America, called the former quarterback "one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation." Martin told News 5 that online sales have also contributed to a 15% decline in sales he's seen over the past three years. He predicts his store will close in about one month.