Tough break…
By now, everybody has heard the infamous “Let’s Go Brandon” chant that is synonymous with “F*ck Joe Biden.”
The not-so-secretly coded chant is popular at sporting events, concerts, pretty much anywhere where a large crowd is gathered, but now, the expression is effecting NASCAR driver Brandon Brown’s ability to secure sponsors… and it’s not even his fault.
Let’s take a walk back… it all started at a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.
NBC reporter Kelli Stavast was interviewing race winner Brandon Brown on the frontstretch after a race. The crowd in the stands, meanwhile, was chanting “F*ck Joe Biden,” which could be heard loud and clear on the TV broadcast.
Attempting to do damage control, Stavast claimed that the crowd was chanting “Let’s go Brandon.” And all of a sudden, a new rallying cry was born.
The phrase has since become ubiquitous as an insult to President Joe Biden. It’s popped up on signs and banners and on t-shirts, and there are multiple songs called “Let’s Go Brandon” on the iTunes charts.
The phrase has also been frequently chanted at sporting events and concerts all across the country, and has even been used by some politicians like Senator Ted Cruz.
And now that the rally cry has continued to grown in popularity, Brandon Brown is taking the heat.
According to a report from Sports Business Journal, Brown is having a hard time getting sponsors thanks to his association with the “Let’s Go Brandon” chant.
“It got extremely difficult for us… if you’re a national corporation, that means you sell to all consumers … and unfortunately, when you get dragged into the political arena, people want you to take a side I’ve never been put in a position where it’s, ‘OK, what side are you on? Left or right?’
So it’s hard for a brand to want to attach to somebody who might be kind of divisive in their consumer base. If I’m going to divide Coca-Cola, why would they want to talk to me?
So the short answer is it’s been tough to connect with partnerships just because it’s kind of viewed as a ticking time bomb: ‘What is he doing to choose or say and how would that effect our consumer base?’ It’s too much of a risk.
I understand it on their side but it’s made it really hard to tie everything down.”
And it’s not just Brandon, NASCAR doesn’t like the look either.
NASCAR President Steve Phelps recently addressed the sport’s role in the creation of the “Let’s Go Brandon” chant, stating that they’re “not happy about it” and that it unfortunately speaks to where we are as a country right now.
Brandon understands that it’s a problem for NASCAR as well, an organization that has worked hard to change their public perception in the past few years, but ultimately, they’ll be just fine.
Him on the other hand… he’s always gonna be the “Let’s Go Brandon” guy.
“NASCAR and I are kind of in the same boat about what to do here, but I don’t think anyone has the right answer. The unfortunate part is it’s my name and my career that are at stake and the risk is high. If I do something wrong in this arena, my name as a driver falls off very fast.
Even a career in NASCAR if I didn’t make it as a driver, trying to get another job in the community, I’m always going to be the “Let’s Go Brandon” guy. I’m always going to be known for that and how I handled this situation.”
Well, I guess you can always change your name…
