Sponsors swiftly dropping Adrian Peterson in wake of child abuse indictment

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share via Email
• Copy Link

  Link Copied

Former Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is being dropped by multiple sponsors following his indictment on child abuse charges and his indefinite suspension from the NFL.

Vikings manager Zygi Wilf declared the team made a mistake when they brought back Adrian Peterson after he got indicted on child abuse charges in Texas late last week.

All Peterson merchandise is going to be removed from shops all over the country.

Target said Wednesday they were taking Peterson merchandise out of their stores, and it will no longer be purchasable online, reports CBS Sports. When asked why they are doing so, Target answered they acted in light of the team’s latest actions, and it also asked patrons for their opinions.

US Bank released a statement on Wednesday, saying they agree with the Vikings’ choice to put Adrian on the list of exemptions, for now. Officials say they are going to watch the situation closely and that “U.S. Bank’s partnership with the Minnesota Vikings is based on that longstanding tradition, which spans generations of executives, employees, coaches and players.”

Nike has suspended their contract with the running back, according to ESPN. The company announced this week that Nike “in no way condones child abuse or domestic violence of any kind and has shared our concerns with the NFL.”

As of Tuesday, Nike shops in the Twin Cities no longer sell merchandise labeled with Peterson’s name, reports CBS sports. The fan club in Minneapolis halted sales of Peterson apparel last Friday. Shaun Hagglund, the owner of the club, stated he is monitoring the entire situation.

The Radisson hotel chain is also among the first companies to close its sponsorship with Adrian Peterson. The Radisson hotel based in Minnetonka declared it “takes this matter very seriously particularly in light of our long-standing commitment to the protection of children. We are closely following the situation and effective immediately, Radisson is suspending its limited sponsorship of the Minnesota Vikings while we evaluate the facts and circumstances.”

The hotel chain’s parent company, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, stated on its website this week: “Radisson takes this matter very seriously particularly in light of our long-standing commitment to the protection of children.”

Other sponsors closely tied with Peterson are Castor Motor Oil, Special Olympics Minnesota and Mylan Inc.

Peterson’s All Day Foundation, which is focused on helping children, closed its website. Before closing it, the webmasters posted a message saying it “will re-engage after Adrian, his family and staff have reflected on how the current situation impacts the direction for Adrian’s philanthropy.”

While he insists he is not a child abuser, Peterson is accused of hurting his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch.