Company Beloved by Sportsmen Around the Country Cuts Ties with NRA
A longtime business partner of the National Rifle Association has become the latest company to announce it is cutting ties with the organization.
Yeti, whose coolers have been popular items with attendees of various NRA events around the country, notified the NRA last week it is ending its association with the organization.
According to an email sent Friday from former NRA president Marion Hammer, who currently serves as executive director for the Unified Sportsmen of Florida, Yeti gave no reason for its decision.
“Suddenly, without prior notice, Yeti has declined to do business with The NRA Foundation saying they no longer wish to be an NRA vendor, and refused to say why,” the email reads. “They will only say they will no longer sell products to The NRA Foundation.
Yeti, based in Austin, Texas, makes high-end outdoor products, including coolers and mugs that are known for their durability and keeping products cold for days.
A number of NRA members and supporters lashed out at Yeti for its seemingly knee-jerk decision.
https://twitter.com/TyEducatingLibs/status/988038715258867712
If true that YETI isn’t doing business with NRA Foundation anymore, they are about to lose much of their sportsmen clientele. That’s bad optics. What gives?!
— Gabriella Hoffman (@Gabby_Hoffman) April 22, 2018
In response to Yeti’s decision, a campaign to boycott Yeti’s products has popped up on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/Holly1L/status/988068662123917312
Bad move @YETICoolers , you just lost my business #boycottyeti https://t.co/ilcTnunAMd
— Saving America (@SavingAmerica4U) April 22, 2018
Although Yeti did not give a reason for its decision, it is assumed the company ended its affiliation with the NRA because of pressure from anti-gun advocates who have called for boycotts of companies who support the NRA.
Since the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida, in February, First National Bank of Omaha, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, Avis, Hertz, Alamo, Enterprise, National Rental Car, Starkey Hearing Technologies, MetLife, TrueCar and SimpliSafe have all ended their corporate affiliations with the NRA.
Last month, Yeti ended plans to launch an initial public offering, or IPO, on Wall Street, citing “market conditions” but not giving specifics as to what conditions it was concerned with.
In its original 2016 IPO filing, the company claimed its sales had tripled to $469 million in 2015 with a profit of $74.2 million — more than five times the profit over the previous year.
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