Armenian Americans in Los Angeles and across the nation are outraged over a 2-year advertising endorsement deal between Los Angeles Lakers’ star Kobe Bryant and Turkish Airlines. Many of Southern California’s large concentration of Armenians have been staunch Lakers fans and are threatening a boycott of Bryant unless he cancels the contract. The origin of the heightened tensions is based on Armenian Americans’ long running pressure for the U.S. government to acknowledge the early 20th century genocide, during which the Ottoman Empire killed an estimated 1.5 million Armenians. The Turkish government denies such claims. Does this affect your allegiance to Kobe Bryant or the Lakers? Are sports figures accountable for international relations?

Guests:

Rostom Sarkissian, Organizational Director of Armenian National Committee of America, Western Region

Andrew Rohm, Associate Professor in the marketing group at Northeastern University; former Director of Marketing at Reebok