Is Nike no longer as cool as it used to be?

[Moheezy]

I usually go to a coffee shop by my place and it’s across the street from a highschool.

Every lunch break, there’s a rush of kids coming in and they almost exclusively wear Nikes.

My little nephew who is 9 and knows nothing about shoes is asking him mom for air force 1s.

I live in Toronto btw.

I do see the older generation (like myself) shying away from Nikes and are open to other brands.

Personally, I like to experiment snd experience new tech/ approaches so I haven’t bought Nikes since 2016.

 

[TSCQ]

Weirdo behavior

 

[tr1ll]

I support what they’re saying. Nike and resellers…especially resellers need to hear it. A LOT of people have given up and just by fakes. I mean, the fact that they’re called ‘replicas’ now.

 

[fluid hips]

NPCs

 

[brian8598]

NPCs

There is no situation where I would pay $1k for sneakers either (retail or bust), but the day I take fashion advice or ANY advice from these clowns is the day after I walk off a cliff.

 

[Kinfolk]

I support what they’re saying. Nike and resellers…especially resellers need to hear it. A LOT of people have given up and just by fakes. I mean, the fact that they’re called ‘replicas’ now.

The interest in replica performance basketball shoes is a generational thing.

I’m a millennial and all of the folks I know/grew up with wouldn’t be caught dead in fakes. That’s just how we grew up. You showed up to school in some Gordon’s and your reputation was destroyed. Gotta transfer schools or get fried daily.

My Saturday morning hoop run is full of Gen Z and these bozos tried to convince me that replica Kobe’s are as good or better performance wise compared to the genuine article.

They got upset in our debate because I refused to call them ‘reps’ and insisted on calling them ‘fakes’ (I know the difference between fake vs replica, but fairly certain that they didn’t).

Come to find out there’s an entire subreddit dedicated to “replica” Kobes . I skimmed through it an it upset me to no end, but I understand that the popularity arose as a direct result of kids not being able to hit on SNKRS. So a small part of me respects the sentiment, because I gave up on SNKRS myself but fakes remain a hard **** no for me.

 

[doublemesh96]

As hard as Nike is trying to destroy their legacy I think they’re too big to fail as far as not being “cool” whatever that means

 

[WASHED KING]

I've told y'all 1000 times the new generation does not have the sentimental connection to Jordans yall do. They could care less about anything MJ did while wearing them, who designed them any of that. They just want to get their fit pics off, flex on social media and look the part. The reps will get them there for a fraction of the price so that's exactly what they're going to do. On top of that 6 months down the line they will be on to a new shoe and brand anyways.

This isn't even factoring in the economy or how it has gotten increasingly harder for the younger generation to even move out of their parents crib and attempt to live like independent adults. 1k is rent - 50% of rent depending on where you're staying at in the country.

Nike created this monster and is the core reason the fake market has gotten as big as it is. They leaned too hard into the hype and limited marketing and left a huge gap to be filled.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

I've told y'all 1000 times the new generation does not have the sentimental connection to Jordans yall do. They could care less about anything MJ did while wearing them, who designed them any of that. They just want to get their fit pics off, flex on social media and look the part. The reps will get them there for a fraction of the price so that's exactly what they're going to do. On top of that 6 months down the line they will be on to a new shoe and brand anyways.

This isn't even factoring in the economy or how it has gotten increasingly harder for the younger generation to even move out of their parents crib and attempt to live like independent adults. 1k is rent - 50% of rent depending on where you're staying at in the country.

Nike created this monster and is the core reason the fake market has gotten as big as it is. They leaned too hard into the hype and limited marketing and left a huge gap to be filled.

So you are saying this new generation WOULDN'T be willing to put on a whole Jordan Brand outfit from head to toe JUST to watch a 10-part ESPN documentary during a global pandemic?

 

[shoefreakbaby]

It will always be cool to me. Thats all that matters

 

[langfor5]

Nike will always have a place in the culture, but its lack of product innovation and market saturation have left the door open to other brands. Will any of those brands reach the market share that Nike has, in my lifetime, absolutely not, but there are executives at Nike right now who are feeling pressure they have never felt before.

 

[Magic33]

They aren't part of any culture I'm involved in nor do they set any, so they're irrelevant to me

NiceKicks is part of the problem. With dumb Skip Bayless click bait items like this that people run with.

 

[Magic33]

Nike will always have a place in the culture, but its lack of product innovation and market saturation have left the door open to other brands. Will any of those brands reach the market share that Nike has, in my lifetime, absolutely not, but there are executives at Nike right now who are feeling pressure they have never felt before.

What product innovation do other brands give you? They're kicks. New Balance, Saucony and Asics are pumping out retros. On, Hoka and Skechers pump out a bunch of ugly kicks in convenient locations.

People don't care about product innovation, it's the new IT word to use.

 

[Kinfolk]

As hard as Nike is trying to destroy their legacy I think they’re too big to fail as far as not being “cool” whatever that means

Agreed that Nike is too big to fail. But Jordan brand isn’t.

 

[langfor5]

What product innovation do other brands give you? They're kicks. New Balance, Saucony and Asics are pumping out retros. On, Hoka and Skechers pump out a bunch of ugly kicks in convenient locations.

People don't care about product innovation, it's the new IT word to use.

I couldn't tell you as I have never worn any of those other brands you mentioned but serious runner friends have told me that New Balance, Saucony and Asics are the only thing they will ever run in and that Nike is purely gimmick.

I will respectfully disagree with you. The serious hooper or athletes who use footwear for its intended purpose do. Now that is a much smaller percentage of buyers but people do care about product innovation.

 

[tr1ll]

Agreed that Nike is too big to fail. But Jordan brand isn’t.

Nah. They said they didnt want to pay a rack. They'll pay that $180 all day.

 

[WASHED KING]

JB would be in a better place if they actually gave people OG colorways more consistently and didn't just spam throwaway retro+'s of 1's and 4's nobody asked for.

But I digress.

 

[2pacalypsenow]

I copped these last month, and have been the shoe I’ve worn the most because of comfortability. They’re definitely easier on the eyes than majority of their catalog.

 

[Magic33]

JB would be in a better place if they actually gave people OG colorways more consistently and didn't just spam throwaway retro+'s of 1's and 4's nobody asked for.

But I digress.

Those same retro+ colorways that we don't want, will be desired in 10-15 years

A company can't appeal to "sneakerheads"

 

[WASHED KING]

Those same retro+ colorways that we don't want, will be desired in 10-15 years

A company can't appeal to "sneakerheads"

I'm not saying some of them won't be, but wouldn't it be in their best interest to get other models desired as well? As it currently stands the only JB model that people are really going crazy for are 4's.

 

[tr1ll]

I mean they can always drop 3's and 11's for a quick come up.

 

[Magic33]

I couldn't tell you as I have never worn any of those other brands you mentioned but serious runner friends have told me that New Balance, Saucony and Asics are the only thing they will ever run in and that Nike is purely gimmick.

I will respectfully disagree with you. The serious hooper or athletes who use footwear for its intended purpose do. Now that is a much smaller percentage of buyers but people do care about product innovation.

but Nike has been innovating on the runner side. It's just that people are used to what they're used to.

Same with basketball, kicks have become lighter and more comfortable, but what do "sneakerheads" want. Leather and suedes.

That's why you can't try and appeal to sneakerheads, that's probably less than 5% of a companies revenue.

 

[Magic33]

I'm not saying some of them won't be, but wouldn't it be in their best interest to get other models desired as well? As it currently stands the only JB model that people are really going crazy for are 4's.

I see a ton of Jordan's that aren't 4's. Why? Because they're releasing hundreds of thousands of everything. Jordan 1's used to be a size run or two per store. Back in 2013 I had to be at a store at opening, because they were getting one pair of royals or black toes per size. Now they get a lot more than that, so of course more sit.

and people will go for any sneaker that's limited. If Nike and JB limited everything, then people would be complaining.

 

[Kinfolk]

Nah. They said they didnt want to pay a rack. They'll pay that $180 all day.

I don’t think it’s a price issue.

As a person who grew up loving 11’s I look at them now and I’m disgusted with myself lol. I don’t like 4’s anymore, and I don’t like 3’s either. I say that as a person who had multiple pairs of all of those at various stages.

For me it’s 1’s or nothing and I don’t even want any new 1’s at this point. And everybody has 1’s in every color, even the colors I’d never consider.

I’m more likely to drop $200 on New Balances. They’re way more comfortable and attainable.

 

[yankeesking92]

Most dudes buy shoes to impress other dudes