What happened to sigs for Baseball and Football players?

[bronle]

In the 90's you had Ken Griffey, Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders shoes, even if they weren't sigs, the shoes were still nice (Air Barrage, Air Mission, Speed Turfs)...

After Mike Vick got tacked for dog fighting, Nike sigs seemed to only appear in basketball. Other than Jeter's garbage Team Jordan deal, no players really have sigs...

What happened? Are their not as many stars in baseball or football or does Nike just not put any effort into any sigs not for basketball?

 

[Bert.]

poor sales

 

[xviiiairjordan]

Yea I tend to think about this aswell.

I would really like to see Nike put out another sig for a football player...and my vote would be a guy like Calvin Johnson...

 

[crcballer55]

Most baseball players wear modified basketball shows anyways.  Football isn't the best sport for a sig shoe since players faces aren't seen on the field and they're not easily identifiable outside of the occasional closeups they get.  It's in Nike's best interest to focus their best designers on a few projects and then spin off those products into other sports where they can be modified.

 

[ninjahood]

Originally Posted by Zyzz

poor sales

that can't be right if jeter gets a shoe EVERY YEAR

i think poor designs led to people to stop caring about em.

 

[dtb00201]

Need me some Air Tebows. We already have the logo lol.

 

[josednk1068]

I wouldn't say poor sales, but when you consider the size of the contract that most athletes expect for a sig line, Nike's bottom line probablly doesn't justify it. The second thing that you will want to think about is when everyone and there mother had sig lines, it was the 90's there was no demand for retro shoes. So now that the demand is high for the past sig lines Nike figures they will just pump out old lines that will garuntee sales and cost them less.

 

[swagadelphia]

Interesting question. Maybe part of it is that the athletes in football/baseball just arent very charismatic or interesting and they wouldnt be using the product your purchasing on field.

 

[megatron]

Football players aren't as marketable because you can't see their faces all the whole time.
Plus the most marketable players are quarterbacks, people don't want a peyton manning shoe. We want an athletic star right? Vick WAS/IS it. It's too bad what happened. Next guy that I can see getting that treatment would be Cam Newton at the rate hes going.

 

[bc60997]

^^^ Isn't Cam signed to Under Armour

 

[megatron]

Originally Posted by bc60997

^^^ Isn't Cam signed to Under Armour

damn right.

 

[gp9rm4108]

Also, with the cleats, football/baseball shoes are not really going to appeal to most people because they can't be worn casually.

 

[41239]

Originally Posted by GP9Rm4108

Also, with the cleats, football/baseball shoes are not really going to appeal to most people because they can't be worn casually.

alright alright alriiiiiiiiiight

 

[ugcatcher2.thebattersbox]

Originally Posted by ninjahood

Originally Posted by Zyzz

poor sales

that can't be right if jeter gets a shoe EVERY YEAR

i think poor designs led to people to stop caring about em.

I agree with this, Sig shoes lately have not been what they have been in the early days

 

[the nor]

I'm well beyond my playing years, past wanting the newest and shiniest things, but I really think times have changed. Athletes now include skating, snowboarding, swimming (Phelps), etc., not just football, baseball, and basketball like we all remember.

Those athletes that changed the name of the game, Deion, Griffey, Jordan, etc are relatively a dime a dozen now. Many of today's athletes are ready out of high school, leaving college as soon as they can, and not glamorized for years leading up to a signature shoe.

Nearly every year we have "the second coming" that we're all going to drool over, and nothing seems to happen. NBA lottery picks sign the 4 year deal and fade away. Running backs last 3 years, QB's ride the pine, #1 NFL picks are a QB or a Left Tackle that no one cares about, and people bounce around from team to team which is hard to track in your local market. The big names seemingly come from no where: NFL- you can't tell me you remember Revis, Chris Johnson, Roethlisberger, Flacco, (Most QBs for that matter) Ocho Cinco, T.O., Welker, in college. The good college guys just aren't making it like they use to. I know some of you could bore us all with your witty exceptions to my obscurity point.

A lot has changed since the 90s. Athletes aren't changing the game nearly as much, different sports are getting attention, plays bounce from team to team, scandals (more apparent), and they don't stay in the positive light long enough.

Lastly, the kids at high schools are dying for the Retros (makes me laugh because they have no clue who's they are or that they're "old") and Sperry's, Van's, and skate shoes are all getting the attention.

 

[foamhead93]

i wish they would do this too. I think Nike could sell a football or baseball cleat sig that people would buy. it just needs the advertising and an athlete people would be interested in. I always wanted to see a Pujols Signaure cleat from Nike, that'd be sweet.

 

[Magic33]

Originally Posted by ninjahood

Originally Posted by Zyzz

poor sales

that can't be right if jeter gets a shoe EVERY YEAR

i think poor designs led to people to stop caring about em.

Derek Jeter's the most popular player in baseball. He's the exception.

 

[Longevity.JPEG]

the air griffeys, air nomo, dieon sanders diamond turfs, and etc all have no cleat versions. trainer shoes. they can do that with new signatures also.

 

[Sinner]

Nike just took the easy way out with the trainers... Design a standard cross-trainer, then make PE colorways for athletes across various sports...