Leupold and Stevens manufactures rifle scopes and provides them to the United States military and other armed forces, including the Israeli Defense Force.

Editor's note: The video above is from November 2018 when a Portland-area veteran protested the Blazers' partnership with Leupold and Stevens as he was honored during an in-game segment.

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers' controversial partnership with a Beaverton-based manufacturer of rifle scopes has ended.

During Monday's media day, Chris McGowan, the team's president and CEO, was asked about the team's partnership with Leupold and Stevens.

"Leupold is no longer a partner of the organization," McGowan said. "I thank them for many years of supporting our organization. They were a great partner when they were a sponsor. But, for various reasons, some unrelated to what you're referencing, they've decided to go in a different direction, so they're no longer a partner of our team."

McGowan said protests over the past year was not responsible for the dissolution of the partnership.

Leupold and Stevens manufactures rifle scopes and provides them to the United States military and other armed forces, including the Israeli Defense Force. According to the Oregonian, the company is the world's largest rifle scope manufacturer in terms of sales.

According to Think Progress, The Israeli Defense Force signed a contract worth about $2.72 million with Leupold and Stevens in 2017, which provided the Israeli military force with 800 scopes.

The Blazers' partnership with the weapons manufacturer has prompted multiple protests from fans, veterans, activists and organizations over the past year, including at a game and at the Rip City 3-on-3 basketball tournament in August.

A group of organizations in Portland, including the Portland Democratic Socialists of America; Jewish Voice for Peace, Portland Chapter; Lutherans for Justice in the Holy Land; Veterans for Peace Chapter 72; and Poor People's Campaign, Oregon Chapter, sent a letter to the Blazers in August, asking the team to end its partnership with the company.

"Portland claims to be a progressive city that cares about the rights of all people. And the Trail Blazers represent our city to the nation. The Trail Blazers Foundation has supported many causes in our community dedicated to supporting children and families. However, your partnership with weapons manufacturer Leupold and Stevens ... directly contradicts this mission by disregarding the suffering of children and families across the globe and enabling a company that may be complicit in crimes against humanity to present a positive public image," the letter read in part.

Olivia Katbi Smith, a spokesperson for the Portland Democratic Socialists of America, told the Willamette Week that the DSA still plans to oppose the Blazers' preseason game against Israel's Maccabi Haifa on October 10, but praised the Blazers for ending the partnership with Leupold and Stevens.

"We are grateful for the hard work of the many community groups, activists, Blazers fans, and veterans who united around this important issue to stand up for Palestinian human rights," she said, "and we are relieved that the Blazers have done the right thing and finally ended this completely unnecessary partnership with a company that has provided sniper scopes to a brutal occupying force."

Leupold and Stevens was the sponsor of the team's "Hometown Heroes," an in-game segment which recognizes and honors military veterans. Last November, during a game, a Portland-area Marine veteran who was honored during Hometown Heroes protested the partnership with Leupold and Stevens by unzipping his sweatshirt to unveil a T-shirt that read, "End this sponsorship. #NoLeupold."

On Monday night, Leupold and Stevens issued a statement.

"Leupold & Stevens is proud to have been able to support the ‘'Hometown Heroes' program with the Portland Trail Blazers. The program honored the brave men and women of our nation's armed forces, first responders, and other everyday heroes who put service before self. Leupold's sponsorship contract officially expired at the conclusion of the 2018-2019 season. The company has made the decision to continue its never-ending support for local heroes through other programs," the statement read.

Blazers media day interviews

3-on-3 Blazers podcast

Listen to the most recent episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast!