Baller ID Wristbands
Campaigns for Awareness, Information, and Charity
Baller Bracelets for the People: DO you know your Awareness Bracelets?
They call you to Stand Up, Speak Up , LiveSTRONG, and Be Strong. They come in hip colors, gorgeous swirls and some even glow in the dark. They demand your Respect, take one for the Team, or just plain scream Player. They’re everywhere, raising awareness against Bullying, Cancer and Tobacco, invading the wrists of our most favorite of Athletes and Celebrities. They’ve even managed to raise issues with the Government and royalty, if you count King Lebron James, that is.
They’re hot, they’re cool, and they are always out of stock. What in the world, am I talking about?
Silicone “Baller ID” wrist bands. If you don’t have these awareness bracelets, then you not from this planet.
Sell me a Rubber Band: Bracelets with a Message, Raise Awareness
So goes the sales job interview question that judges a sales applicant’s creative and selling abilities. If the fans of basketball, football, cycling and even politics and cancer research for Baller ID Bands are to be the judges, then the people at Nike who thought of launching these Baller ID Wrist Bands must be creative geniuses. They’ve managed to not only reinvent the lowly RUBBER BAND , but also sell it 30 million times and for worth while awareness campaigns on Cancer Research and Survivorship and Anti-Racism to boot.
What’s the fuss, WHO wears them anyway?
Unless you have been living under a rock the past year, who wouldn’t notice the rubber bands on the wrists of every human on this planet?
The bright yellow “support cancer research” LiveSTRONG bracelets or baller ID wrist bands have been spotted on the wrists of celebrities Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, Bono of the U2, Jay Leno, Angelina Jolie, Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Matt Damon and Sheryl Crow. Even U.S. Senator John Kerry and his wife Teresa Heinz Kerry were seen with these bands. In the Athens Olympics, Sports Illustrated reports seeing athletes sporting the very bracelet. (See the SI.com article )
The Baller ID Bands Story: See Baller Bands: a Short History of Silicone Baller ID Wristbands and Bracelets
What you didn’t know about Baller ID Wrist Bands
Who is credited with the Baller ID Band ? Baller ID Band history can give its due to entrepreneur Ave Maria Green. Her idea of having National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball players wear their thoughts on rubber bracelets way back in 1999, has given us the Baller Band we know today.
When the NBA disallowed players from wearing the of metallic jewelery for safety purposes, the rubber baller ID bands filled a void left by the jewelry of the NBA stars. When Baller ID bands began to replace the jewelry of NBA stars, fans being fans, the practice of wearing rubber baller bands caught on.
The NBA fans naturally saw the allure of rubber bands, but it wasn’t until cyclist Lance Armstrong and Nike brought focus to Armstrong’s bout with cancer did the whole world learn about that “it’s good!” feeling of a silicone rubber awareness bracelet strapped to one’s wrist. (See LiveSTRONG Bands )
Sports Goods manufacturers Adidas, And1 and Reebok have released their own version of the NBA baller id wristbands with some variations to inscription method and wrist band material. Non-silicone rubber wrist bands made of plastic or hard rubber have been released by these suppliers.
Rubber of Choice for Baller Bands: Silicone Rubber
To be the fashion accessory it is today, the modern silicone rubber wrist band went through a some improvements.
Ordinary rubber has properties that isn’t ideal for a sports wrist band. First is that it tears easily. Second is it degrades in the presence of ultra-violet (UV) light, ozone and acids. Lastly, it poses a minor health concern due to possible Latex protein sensitivity in humans.
Most baller bands today, including the popular Nike Baller ID Bands, are created from a material that not only widthstands high heat, handles fatigue, and counters UV exposure but also stays inert to human skin and perspiration. Silicone rubber has all of these properties and its known toughness is the same reason that the rubber is used in many products, from caps and diving masks for swimming, bakeware and sheets for cooking, to industrial thermoplastic molds for casting. Silicone is also used for breast enhancers (?), and as tubings for medical equipments used in handling Ozone gas, a very powerful oxidizing substance. So the next time you wear your band, think “this silicone band is indestructible!”
How are Baller ID Bracelets made?
Clues from the ads of Nike’ LiveSTRONG bands on the production of their Silicone Rubber Bracelets indicate that molding and pour-casting is done to create silicone bracelets. The process involves pouring activated silicone, a liquid that has been devoid of air bubbles, onto a mold or negative of the desired shape and allowing these to settle into the shape.
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Band Against Racism, Stand-Up, Speak-Up! Nike urges Europe’s Soccer Fans
In an anti-racism awareness campaign that’s bound to change the face of soccer, Nike is focusing attention on racial discrimination in football with their newest baller id band bracelets. (see the article on the Yellow Livestrong bracelets, Nike’s first baller id wrist band campaign about cancer survival )
If you were lucky to get one of the limited 2.5 million silicone baller wrist bands made available on February 6th, 2005, your interlocked Nike black and white Stand-Up, Speak-Up Anti-racism bands were launched through the efforts of Arsenal and France’s striker Thierry “Titi” Henry. Soccer star Titi experienced the numbing effects of racism first hand. Spanish Coach Luis Arragones was caught making an excremental reference to the football player on Spanish TV during training of fellow soccer striker Jose Antonio Reyes back in October of 2004. Henry vowed to do “something” and that “Something” was the Stand-up Speak up anti-racism bracelets Nike launched this month.
In the LiveStrong’s Band’s steps
Coach Arragones was investigated and fined, while Henry is on the verge of copying the huge success of the rubber LiveSTRONG bracelets. The Stand-Up Speak-Up wristbands went out of stock just mere days from release, and Nike has been hard-pressed to resupply.
Soccers’ Best Stand-Up Speak-Up to Anti-racism with wrist bands and Ads
With racial discrimination acknowledged as one of the biggest problems of Europe’s favorite sport, Soccer players are taking action on and off the pitch. Wearing ‘ kick it out’ shirts in warm ups and standing out on Nike ads showing on europe’s boob tubes beginning this month, soccer’s finest and their fans now finally speak up and campaign against racism.
Stand-Up Speak-Up Anti-racism bracelets mantra: Drown them Out, Speak-Up!
Turn on your TV and you’re bound to notice the 30-seconds of deafening silence that the Nike tv spots of the Stand-up Speak-Up Anti-Racism Wristband Campaign impose.
The Stand-up Speak-Up Anti-Racism wristband ads feature Manchester United soccer stars Rio Ferdinand and Ruud Van Nistelrooy for the wristbands’ English rendition, and Chelsea’s Claude Makalele and Phillippe Mexes in the French version. Also, Barcelona’s Carlos Puyol and Roberto Carlos teamed up for the bracelets’ Spanish anti-racism ad, while Christoph Metzelder and Otto Addo got together for the “Stand-up, Speak-Up” in German fashion. Lastly, Adriano and Fabio Cannavaro suited up for the Italian rendition of the “Stand up, Speak up” anti racism tv spots. Thierry Henry and Soccer’s 2004 Fifa World Player of the Year Ronaldhino, appeared in all the Nike anti-racism wrist bands tv spots.
Suited in your everyday jeans, black gym shirts and white Nike rubber shoes, your favorite players, as a team, wore the interlocked Black and White Nike Stand-Up Speak-Up baller ID band bracelets on their colored wrists.
Drown them out with your voices, Stand-up, & Speak-Up .
Stand-Up Speak-Up Anti-racism Bracelets empowering Soccer Fans
When you wear your anti-racism band , you stand in solidarity with the soccer players against all forms of racism. If you have been a victim or a witness to racism in football, report it.
With racial-discrimination related hate crimes growing an alarming 13% yearly, you must do your part to stem this tide. Wear your awareness bracelets as a start to stamping out racism for good .
Joining is still Free.
Nike Stand-Up Speak-Up Bracelets Proceeds
The proceeds of the Stand-Up Speak-Up anti-racism bands go to funding of anti-racism projects of the Belgium-based King Bedoiun Foundation (KBF). Proceeds of the Stand up Speak up soccer bracelets that you will buy will also fund the foundation’s research into the problem of racism in football and help organizations working in the area of racism.
How much do Nike Stand Up, Speak Up Bracelets Cost?
When you buy a Stand-Up Speak-Up anti-racism wristband You will donate at least £1.50/€2.00 for each. 75% of the proceeds from the funds you will donate, go to the KBF.
So, where can I Get my Nike Stand-Up, Speak-Up Baller ID Anti-racism Wristbands?
So you want to raise your wrist, and kick it out, and be the face of humanity on your ball field, alley and street?
But where can you buy your Nike anti-racism bracelets, now?
If you came to this page looking for the Nike Anti-Racism bracelet, the answer often is, unless your willing to pay for a premium, it’s still out of stock.
The word out on the street is that the Nike Anti-racism bands won’t be available online soon, but some sites like Arsenal’s Online store have already sold out their Nike Stand-Up Speak-Up anti-racism wristbands. So there might still be hope out there for getting your anti-racism Nike wristband bracelets at a decent price online.
If you know of sites that are selling these Anti Racism bracelets cheap, please drop us the link so it can be added here. Otherwise, there’s always eBay.
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The LiveStrong Bracelet: A Yellow Wrist Band for Cancer Survival
First designed as a sports-fashion accessory for the wrists of NBA superstars, the baller id wrist band ironically doesn’t owe its meteoric rise to a Basketball player. Instead, baller bands give its dues to an extra-ordinary cyclist and his “live strong” bracelets, whose feats after surviving testicular cancer inspire millions of wristband wearers and cancer survivors who now take to heart his wrist band’s message: LiveSTRONG.
It was through 6 time – Tour de France champion and real life survivor Lance Armstrong, working with Nike, that the WearYellow :: LIVESTRONG baller ID wristband campaign was launched. (Nike is also currently involved in the twined Black & White Stand-up Speak-up Anti-Racism Bands)
The LiveSTRONG Bracelets
The LiveSTRONG bracelets for cancer awareness has the word LIVESTRONG debossed on it, with all letters in uppercase and the ‘STRONG’ emphasized. The word LiveSTRONG is a play of Lance Armstrong’s name and his personal mission of living strong after cancer.
Armstrong’s yellow LiveSTRONG cancer bracelets are the most recognized baller id bands today. With more than 30 million in sales as of writing, the LiveSTRONG bracelet is spreading awareness on surviving cancer and how to support those who have the disease.
Joining is still Free.
Oprah does a LivesTRONG: A new LiveSTRONG Record — almost 1 Million LivesTRONG Baller Bracelets sold in 24-hours : Update
Lance Armstrong and long time girlfriend Artist sheryl Crow were spotted on Oprah with the Livestrong bracelets on the Feb. 11 episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah and her guests wore the yellow rubber LiveStrong bracelets. She also launched a “mini-campaign” to sell the LiveStrong bands to her viewers.
A record breaking 900,000 LiveSTRONG bracelets were sold in 24 hours from her efforts.
Why is the LiveSTRONG band Yellow?
There are so many speculations on why the color yellow was used for the livestrong bracelet. The yellow jersey in cycling, is the shirt worn by the race leader, a jersey Lance Armstrong wore often. To be the baller bracelet for cancer, only a color that symbolizes being both alive and strong can carry it off. Yellow is a very apt color for the Livestrong band, as it is associated with light.
Warning on Fake LiveSTRONG Bracelets and “Colored” LiveSTRONG bands
In recent months, a great number of “White LiveStrong” and “Pink LiveStrong” and even Rainbow colored livestrong bracelets have been spotted online posing as real Livestrong Bracelets. These Livestrong bracelets are FAKE bands. Yellow remains to be the only color for the LiveStrong bracelets and should accompanied by the correct packaging for authenticity.
LiveSTRONG band is the Model Baller Band Campaign
The success that the Texas based Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) has reaped with the LiveSTRONG band has made its campaign a model other baller id band bracelets campaigns are trying hard to exceed.
Where to Buy Your LiveSTRONG Bracelet
Livestrong Bracelets can be bought directly from the LAF with a minimum order of 10 pieces. You can also get the authentic Livestrong bracelets from online toy stores like ToyWiz who retail these baller bracelets by piece.
The proceeds of LiveSTRONG wrist band sales go to the LAF. With each LiveSTRONG bracelet sold, $0.77 is raised for cancer research.
With the LiveSTRONG wristband raising funds for the giving of grants and the LAF giving recognition to promising cancer research efforts, Lance Armstrong, through the Lance Armstrong Foundation and Nike, is on a different race – He and his LiveSTRONG baller bracelets now race for the elusive cancer cure.
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Bands for a Cause:
Pink Breast Cancer Baller Band
Bracelets join the Race for a Cure.
Joining is still Free.
Be Strong-MLE Pink Breast Cancer Bracelets
When guitar playing rocker Melissa Etheridge announced that she had Breast Cancer, the same life threatening condition affecting one million other women worldwide, a group of her fans BANDED together to form the Pink Bracelet Fund, in honor of the singer’s fight with Breast Cancer.
This pink breast cancer bracelet has the “Be Strong-MLE” debossed between two breast cancer awareness ribbons on it. With these pink breast cancer bracelets, the organization aims to raise funds for the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation for breast cancer research. Wristband fund partner Olivia Cruises, will be making a donation of up to $5,000 to The Pink Bracelet Fund for accumulated sales when people buy pink breast cancer bracelet.
The Pink Bracelet Fund has so far sold 150,000 Pink Cancer bracelets.
Sharing the Promise Pink Breast Cancer – Komen National Race for the Cure
The Susan G. Komen Foundation was born on a sister’s promise back in 1978. Before succumbing to Breast Cancer, Susan Goodman Komen asked her sister, Nancy Brinker to help understand breast cancer. Nancy kept that promise by establishing the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation four years later in Suzy’s memory. The foundation is recognized as one of two in America’s 100 best charities that had focus on women’s health.
Aside from the the Sharing the Promise Pink Breast Cancer Bracelet, the foundation also successfully holds the annual Komen Race for the Cure, a 15 year old series of 5 km fun runs/walks held world-wide to spread awareness on the ongoing fight against breast cancer.
The foundation’s pink breast cancer bracelet is debossed with “Sharing the Promise” nestled between two breast cancer awareness ribbons.
Share Beauty Spread Hope Pink Breast Cancer Bracelet
The 10 year old Breast Cancer Research Foundation has set the stage for setting the color pink for Breast Cancer Awareness. They have recently launched the ‘Play for P.I.N.K.’ awareness campaign spreading the word on breast cancer by coloring anything pink, from watches to painting whole buildings with pink.
Their beautifully debossed “Share Beauty Spread Hope” pink breast cancer bracelet was the idea of Target Pink whose trademark bullseye is also debossed on the pink cancer baller band. The wristband raises funds for Cancer Research by the BCRF and helps provide for mammogram screening.
Pink Breast Cancer Bracelets wants YOU to Share This!
Breast Cancer will affect one in nine women in their lifetime. It accounts for 33% of all cancer occurences today. Breast cancer is a leading cause of death for women between ages 35 and 54. Breast cancer can also be found in men. It is second only to lung cancer in terms of fatality. Women who has a family history of breast cancer are three times more at risk.
Early detection of tumors is key through annual mammogram screening or regular self-examination. Almost 100% of all tumors detected early are treatable.
Proceeds from The Pink Breast Cancer Bracelets featured above subsidize expensive mammography screening and cancer research efforts.
What are Pink LiveSTRONG Bracelets?
Unofficially, the above Pink breast cancer bracelets are collectively known as the Pink Equivalents of the Yellow LiveSTRONG Bracelets. Despite not having the LiveSTRONG bracelet’s mark and being unconnected to the LiveSTRONG wristband, baller ID band wearers recognize the aims shared by both the LiveSTRONG band and the pink breast cancer bracelets.
Warning on Fake ‘LiveSTRONG’ Bracelets
If you come across a pink colored LiveSTRONG bracelet that claims to be supporting breast cancer awareness, be aware that there is no other color for LiveSTRONG bracelets, other than Bright Yellow.
If you see a PINK (or White, Blue, etc.) BALLER BAND claiming it is a “LiveSTRONG” band, it is most likely fake, and does harm to the efforts of the organizations above and to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
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Banking on the success of LiveStrong bracelets, Nike first released their own line of wrist bands for that select group of physically active individuals who followed basketball. In time, this extended to different people sports. Coined as “Baller ID” wrist bands where (this isn’t official but ID may be related to the Nike trade mark, Individually Designed by Nike). Baller bands identify one to a fellow Baller, immortalized by the lyrics of the Nike Baller Ad (emphasis mine):
Joining is still Free.
Recognized on the Playground.
Known in the Gym.
Respected for your Game,
your Heart,
your Skill.
Invited to every run.
Welcome on any team.
You're a baller.
Nike Baller ID bands and bracelets are endorsed by Athletes from the NBA and the NFL in the USA.
Like the LiveStrong Bands, Nike baller id bands are moulded with the text markings debossed. The Baller ID Bands series that Nike has released are limited.
Nike’s varied wrist bands:
- Nike Bands for a Cause
- Yellow LiveSTRONG Bracelets for Cancer Survival
- Black and White Anti-Racism Bracelet “Stand up Speak up” anti racism bands
- Nike Baller ID sports wrist bands
- TEAM Baller Bands -coming soon
- Player Baller Bands -coming soon
- Respect Baller Bands -coming soon
- Battlegrounds Baller Bands -coming soon
- ‘King’ Lebron James Baller Bands -coming soon
- Michael Vick Baller Bands -coming soon
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