The auction for the Artsakh cleats designed by Berj Najarian broke all NFL bidding records for the “My Cause My Cleats” campaign. On January 6, the winning bidders were revealed to be Michele Kolligian and Bob Khederian.
“It felt like we had just won the Armenian Super Bowl,” said Kolligian and Khederian. They were on a mission to acquire these cleats, not for themselves, but to support Najarian’s fundraiser for victims of the war, and to bring awareness that ethnic cleansing is taking place in Artsakh.
Kolligian, President of the Board of Trustees of the Armenian Museum of America, and Khederian, Vice President, presented the cleats to the Museum together with Najarian during a ceremony in June. In an interview with WBZ-TV at the Museum, Najarian said the campaign was a highlight of his career and he was grateful that the cleats are now on display to the public in Watertown.
In the same interview, Kolligian and Khederian emphasized the gravity of the crisis in Artsakh, where Azerbaijan waged an attack on Armenians and is still holding hundreds of prisoners of war months after a ceasefire was signed. “This campaign provided humanitarian aid, but we also hope it raises awareness and the Armenian POWs are released as soon as possible,” they said.
Since 2016, the NFL has run the “My Cause My Cleats” campaign, in which players wear custom-designed cleats to bring awareness to a charitable cause. This pair of Armenian-themed cleats were commissioned by Najarian, who is Director of Football/Head Coach Administration for the New England Patriots.
When the war ignited in 2020, the typically quiet and behind-the-scenes Najarian realized he had to speak up, and he started a campaign on social media. One of the first videos he posted was of Patriots Coach Bill Belichick expressing concern about human rights abuses being committed against Armenians in Artsakh.
Najarian wore these cleats during the campaign and received a great deal of support from Patriots players who would show them off during post-game press appearances and on their social media pages. Ultimately the cleats went up for auction to raise money for Armenia Fund, to help Armenians impacted by the war.
The Armenian Museum of America is open Fridays through Sundays from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm, and admission is free for members and children under 18. In addition to the cleats, the Museum has implemented a number of updates including new objects on display, commercial grade HEPA Air Purifiers in all galleries, and cameras and on-site security in galleries.
