Reference no: EM132715030

Given the significant financial power that a retailer and sponsor like Nike can have in the sports world does it have any obligation to use that power to do good in connection with its particular industry? A 2006 New York Times article "Coaches Like Graham Still Have Their Sponsors" suggested that "(m)ore than television packages more than attendance at the gate track and field is driven by shoe company dough. Nike could if it chose threaten to pull its financial support from the coaches and trainers of athletes who are barred for doping violations. For years the caretakers of the athletes have also been suspected as the doping pushers. Curiously Nike hasn't fallen in line with everyone else calling for strict liability among coaches trainers and athletes." The article instead suggests that Nike does not benefit when a star falls from glory so it tends to shy away from this area of oversight. In fact it goes so far as to say that "Nike is the doping society's enabler." Can you make the argument that Nike has an obligation to intervene?