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Steve Stoute and Game are among those in the hip-hop community outraged by the purported racist comments made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, which were caught on tape by a former girlfriend. Both men are urging fans to boycott the team by not attending future games.
In an interview with ESPN’s ‘The Herd with Colin Cowherd,’ Stoute, who runs the marketing firm Translation, said one of his clients, State Farm, has pulled their sponsorship of the Los Angeles Clippers despite the team’s star, Chris Paul, being their spokesperson.
Stoute also said that he will not buy tickets to the team’s games and is urging fans to do the same.
“It’s the league itself,” explains Stoute. “It’s the businesses that sponsor this team that have to be appalled with that comment and that racist point of view and they have to stop supporting. And it’s the fans that have to say, ‘I am not going to buy tickets or things and support a team that has racist comments.’”
“If they don’t want African-Americans at the game, they don’t want Latinos at the game, they don’t want women at the game,” he continued. “If that’s the feeling, then we all have to stand up and do that. I think the combination of sponsors, owners and the fans boycotting will force the sale of that team.”
Stoute continued the diatribe on Twitter, tweeting, “The fans should boycott [and] the sponsors should boycott ASAP. This is not what the NBA is about. LA standup and boycott and use your power to cause change.”
In addition to Stoute, Game has launched an #ESC (Empty Seat Campaign) campaign on Instagram with hopes that fans boycott the next Los Angeles Clippers game (see the photo below).
“In the support of my own race, Hispanics & every other race whose been fighting current & past racism I have now started the #ESC which is short for #EMPTYSEATCAMPAIN asking ALL Los Angeles residents to boycott the next Clippers game by not attending which will prove that we are more of a MAJORITY than the previously stated “minority” label given to us by Mr. Sterling,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, R&B singer Tank has announced that he will not sing the National Anthem at the Los Angeles Clippers playoff game on Tuesday (April 29) in protest of Sterling’s alleged comments.
“As an African-American man and artist, I must take a stand on a matter that is so deeply personal to me,” the singer said.
The TGT singer also said that he will no longer attend Clippers games, as well.
