If you're a basketball fan, you must have definitely heard of the audio recording that captured Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling's racist rant. The subsequent backlash has had sponsors like Kia and Red Bull pulling out their support for the troubled NBA team.
One company, however, has decided to stick it out with the Clippers, and that's Japanese tiremaker Yokohama.
According to Yokohama's North American manufacturing and marketing arm, it has reached an agreement with the team where it "will immediately reinstate its sponsorship of the team," with half of its 2014 NBA playoff sponsorship funds being donated to charity instead.
"Yokohama applauds NBA commissioner Adam Silver's leadership and actions by banning Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life from any association with the team or the NBA," said Yokohama Tire Corporation director for marketing and product planning Andrew Briggs. "With the Clippers' agreement, we have found a way to continue moving forward and give back to the community and our fellow Clipper fans."
Briggs added that half of the sponsorship funds will be donated to NBA-sponsored charitable organizations "dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts."
