Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Companies Quick to Sever Ties With Ray Rice

The fallout of the elevator surveillance video released by TMZ Sports on Monday continues for the embattled Ray Rice.

After being cut by the Baltimore Ravens and suspended indefinitely by the NFL, several companies have also cut ties with the former running back. Here is the latest:

The Baltimore Ravens are no longer selling Ray Rice jerseys on their official website. They are offering fans an exchange for their No. 27 jerseys at their stadium stores.

Rice jerseys were pulled off shelves at retailers Dick's Sporting Goods and Modell's on Monday and were no longer available for sale at the NFL Shop, the league's official online store.

No Idea Tavern and Hersh’s Pizza and Drinks, both in Baltimore, are offering free pizzas and $10 bar tabs if customers turn in their No. 27 Rice jerseys. Both will also donate $2.70 per jersey they receive to the House Of Ruth, a Maryland non-profit organization that helps women and children who are victims of domestic violence.

Nike has terminated its endorsement contract with Ray Rice. VertiMax sports training equipment and BodyArmor sports drink also severed ties with him. 

Rice also had been removed as a spokesman for East Coast-based M&T Bank (though this was done after the release of the initial video).

EA Sports announced via Twitter that it will remove Rice from its Madden NFL 15 game. The roster change update will happen on Friday.
Though this may not be the end of his career, the young athlete stands to lose $4 million in base salary from the Ravens as well as millions of dollars in lost endorsement deals. He will have an uphill battle to gain redemption in the eyes of the public and to play again for the NFL.

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