#BBCTrending: NFL critics pressure sponsors via Twitter

This summer, a video showed American football star Ray Rice dragging his unconscious fiancée out of a lift. He received a two-game suspension.

But a second video released earlier this month showed Rice throwing the punch that rendered the woman, who is now his wife, unconscious.

People have taken to social media to protest the way the The National Football League (NFL) handled this case specifically and domestic abuse in general. After initially appealing to the league directly, many have targeted the league's sponsors, which account for over $1bn (£611m) of the NFL's $10bn annual revenue.

One of them was journalist and activist Adele Stan, who altered an advertisement for cosmetics company CoverGirl to make the model appear to have a black eye.

The image was posted with the hashtag #GoodellMustGo, referring to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

The concept went viral, getting a Photoshop upgrade in the process.

CoverGirl responded on its Facebook page, saying "domestic violence is completely unacceptable" and urging the NFL "to take swift action".

Other sponsors, including beer giant Anheuser-Busch, have released statements expressing their concerns to the league.

The Radisson hotel chain suspended its support of the Minnesota Vikings team after one of the its players was charged with child abuse.

The NFL has hired three female advisers to review how the league deals with domestic violence and sexual assault.

This week, another player was arrested on domestic abuse charges.

Will pressure from sponsors and fans online force the NFL to change its policies?

Produced by Ashley Semler, Kate Dailey and Markus Zeffler

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