In the wake of a deadly mass shooting over the weekend at a parade in Illinois that left six dead and dozens injured, the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday announced a sponsorship with a pro-gun coffee company.
The Cowboys launched a partnership with Black Rifle Coffee. As part of the partnership, the team is giving away two tickets to a game this fall and a year subscription to Black Rifle Coffee.
While the partnership is pretty normal for professional teams, the timing of the announcement just days after a mass shooting was questioned by many.
Black Rifle offers roasts like "AK-47 Espresso Blend", "Gunship Roast", and "Silencer Smooth Coffee Roast". The brand has also connected with Kyle Rittenhouse and endorsed President Donald Trump's Muslim ban.
Clarence Hill Jr., a reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, called the move "tone deaf", while others called Black Rifle the "Starbucks of white nationalists."
“BRCC is proud to partner with the Dallas Cowboys, who are strongly committed to our mission of supporting veterans, first responders, and America’s men and women in uniform,” a Black Rifle spokesman said, via The Associated Press. “The long-planned announcement was timed to coincide with the Independence Day holiday — America’s Team. America’s Coffee. America’s Birthday.”
Yahoo Sports noted that the Cowboys' deal with Black Rifle comes about a month after the team donated $400,000 to survivors of the Uvalde elementary school shooting, where 19 students and two teachers were killed.
