The State of the Shoe Game

bradnsu · Feb 29, 2012

dnob 04 wrote:
People just wanna go with the newest trend
I blame celebs (Wale, DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Victor Cruz etc) for posting all these pics on twitter and instagram of their kicks
Kids look up to celebs and wanna do what they do and get what they get
You let these so called "sneakerheads" mind control these ignorant people.
The game is under heavy fire right now so I'm waiting it out until the storm passes over hopefully soon

This
I agree with you totally dnob homie I can't tell you how lame I think it is when a multi-million dollar rapper or athlete gets on twitter or instagram talkin crazy about how we need to "step our game up","They killing the game" & all these other crazy things they say. I don't even respect them as collectors because they get things for free alotta times or they get custom made sneakers..Wale lame %%% was just talking about his Prada game in 2010 now all of a sudden he's a sneakerhead

..OP & alot of other heads have made a lot of good points in this thread NIKE needs to see this thread...But besides the Rappers & entertainers effin the game up other thing is the people that work in these stores thats a big problem down here in New Orleans employees at champs,footlocker etc holding shoes & not letting other people cop. I mean I understand holding a pair or two but when you letting dudes come in & buy 8 pairs in different sizes I think it's ridiculous NIKE need to send "secert shoppers" to monitor these releases because it's getting outta hand..But the resellers are def the biggest problem I been rocking Jay's since bout 93' That was my 1st pair of Jay's the Playoff VIII's back when I was in 3rd grade but I started collecting in 99'-00' & I must say back then I didn't see the ridiculous prices on ebay that I see now..You got cats selling The CDP IV's for about the same price as the 99' Black/cements

& just like somebody else said "The Old Royals" sold out!!!

when a odd release like that sells out now you really know it's all hype..Also this "Limited" BS is a waste of time the "Galaxy" Foamposites was a perfect example when a store gets about 12 pairs & you got 500 people outside of course it's gonna be crazy..I'm just waiting for the trend & the hype to die down so I can get back in the game hard again because I been slacking off because of all the foolishness thats been goin on..

KMante · Feb 29, 2012

I agree with most of what the OP stated.
However, I refuse to call buying/collecting sneakers a "game."

dr damon · Feb 29, 2012

S329 wrote:
what kills me as an older-!#* collector (30+ yrs old) is that the vast majority of the kids buying the shoes these days have never even seen MJ play live! It was different back then when you'd see mike start the season with that years shoe and we all felt like we were part of something special. Now with the recent retro craze it has nothing to do with the man behind the logo, but just the logo. Anyway, I'll tell you what you guys already know, and that's the mere fact that no matter how much we complain, the game is forever changed. It's up to us to decide if we still want to be in the game with the new rules? or simply decide if it's time to hang em up.
dont know how to quote right, but agree 100% with op and dude above me among people in this thread.
I've been buying and playing in jordans since my first pair of true blue 3's in the 10th grade back in 1988, so yeah i'm old and i've been around a while. I remember going down to the local sporting goods/volleyball store to pick up jordans during lunch while i was in highschool, yes, i said sporting goods/volley ball store. Even lucked out and went to a bulls game against the warriors and watched mj drop 40 on them in the concords. and by the way, concards and columbia 11's sat and sat. i picked my pair of concords up at JC penny months after the release. also picked up powder blue 9s at jc penny long after the release too, 94 retros sat on clearance shelves all over the place,but i digress... Been around to see jersey-joe, air-jordans.com, jumpmanst, vintage usa, some others i'm forgetting, and the birth of niketalk. the only shoe i ever lined up for was the cement grey iv retros in 99. showed up to the mall 20 min early and was first in line. copped 2 pair for me, one for my wife, and 1 for my boy, and walked out. after that, would just check out niketalk, get the product code, and back order my kicks from eastbay like 3-4 months in advance, and boom, almost all the og retros from 00-01 on my doorstep, and then on my feet. one pair to rock, one to stock for later because none of us had any clue that stuff would keep releasing, i wanted to have a fresh pair for 10 years later. Have I ever sold a pair of my kicks? Yes. Have I ever purchased a pair of kicks just to resell? NO.

In my mind, there are 2 events that i can see in retrospect that started the demise of our culture
1. Going mainstream when I$$ and $C started to blow up, lots of free advertising for nike/jb which lead to the explosion of hypebeasetresellers
2. Retirement of Phil Knight (quality really started to slip, and we started to get shortchanged on tech while prices increased for both nikes and jordans)

I am hoping that all these kids and money hungry resellers move on to something else so we can go back to buying our shoes in peace, but even if the reselling stops, and the hypebeasts die out,I fear that at least with jordan retros, quality will never be the same. 99 retro 4s, great quality for 100 bucks. recent retro 4's, not as good quality, 160 bucks. a 60 dollar price increase and worse quality. cmon nike. Did i want a pair, yes, did i try to buy them? yes do i have them, no. will i pay over retail, no thanks.

i could say more, but i think that's enough for now. bottom line, nike/jb is saving me money and ALL of us have way too many shoes anyway.

Don't forget to exercise, drink water, and eat your fruits and veggies haha. The doctor is out

paritheplatypus · Mar 2, 2012

damn, woulda been nice to live in the days without week-long campouts, hypebeasts, and resellers! Just getting into the game, seems like maybe its a bad time.

jvaldez · Mar 3, 2012

Myself also hates nike/jordan marketing with QS, limited, hypers, and families. Its actually kinda smart strategy on there part. It sometimes brain washes us. If a person does not get his/her shoe on a release they get real fustrated and tell themselves FU@# these shoes Im going to save my money and get whats coming up next. Once your in that mind set your hooked and on top competing with friends and the community to be the first with the release. Remember we dont win trophies for the best collection. Also with releases almost every week its hard to stop.

supermanblue79 · Mar 3, 2012

Great post OP.
I remember the days of Mall Anchor stores, Kenny Shoes, and Footlocker being the only place that you could get Air Jordans. JC Penny's and a store called Castner Knotts would have hundreds of pairs that would last well into the
next year's Jordan release. Everything sat, especially colorways that released after the standard white based pair and black based pair that dropped. And there were no release dates then. Shoe department managers put the shoes on Nike supplied Jordan display for sale on the Nike supplied as soon as they received them. Anyone remember standing on that huge Nike Air cushion when the OG Jordan III released? There were no line ups for these shoes because upwards of $60 for a pair of shoes was insane, no matter who's name was on them. Retro sneakers sat for longer than the sig models since everyone wanted the "New Jordans" instead of wasting money on the old. I can remember Champs clearing out the 1999 IVs at $39.99 and passing so that I could have money to put the next release in layaway.

Fast forward to 2012 and you have an entirely different era. You have 1ST geners that couldn't afford Jordans or who missed out on colorways that can now make up for missed luxuries. While we were buying, the youngin's were watching.
They saw our attachment to the shoes, and grew up with that same attachment. And even though they never saw MJ become a basketball god in these shoes, they have every right to covet the shoes the same way that we do. We're used to $100-$150 running shoes, so buying a shoe for that much with Mike's legacy attached these days for $160-$223 is not a stretch for any of us.

The problem is limited supply. Brand Jordan has the legacy burning in our subconscious already. Now what they want to give customers once again is the exclusiveness of owning a pair of Air Jordans. In the OG days, the exclusiveness was simply a direct result of what we/our parents considered extremely high prices. These days, with people willing to spend 2X upwards of retail, Nike has taking back control of exclusiveness through limited production numbers. Those that get their pairs couldn't be happier, most of us that strike out can't stand it. But no matter what, there's a shoe that always brings us back to our eastbay carts at 11:55PM or our spot in line just before sunrise.

yk12 · Mar 3, 2012

some great posts! the game has def changed...smh

rojanjon · Mar 3, 2012

For those of you just now jumping in to collecting, I really feel for you, and I wish there was a way for you to truly know what it was like and the types of quality shoes compared to the newer versions were released and not to mention rather easy to obtain. I mean, picking up Concords in '96 on the sale rack...$95...those days are long gone...

chicagoldrs · Mar 3, 2012

"...Remember back in the daaaays?"

"Man, them days iz ovah!"

limitedretroog · Mar 3, 2012

Originally Posted by LilJRDN

Right before the Concords, I thought the "Sneaker" phase had died down. I was able to snatch a few gems from Ebay for very good prices and everything seemed as if kids were moved on to a different thing. However, just in these last few months, reselling has mutated into something scary as now it is becoming almost impossible for people to buy the shoes they like without having to pay mark-up prices.

Things got ugly with the concords and it was expected but now you have a shoe like the galaxy foamposites going for thousand of dollars on Ebay. I would estimate that 80% of the people that bought those shoes are resellers. Now it becomes even worse since now any release is seen as a potential "moneymaker" and that makes it a problem for the rest of us that simply want to buy a shoe they like for retail price and call it a day. If the galaxy foamposites were bad, just wait until the yeezys II's come out.

I highly doubt the Yeezy 2s will even come close to the Galaxy Foams. That was just insane. Probably the biggest release ever, even bigger than the DMPS or Purple Pigeons.

rv019 · Mar 3, 2012

It's just a phase. Sooner or later the hype of "collecting" sneakers will die. The hypebeasts will realize that it's a waste of time. Now I'm not sure if the whole "walking into the store anytime of the day" thing will come back, but I do know that resellers and hypebeasts are at their prime lmao. It'll take a drop after a while

DrizzyNYC · Mar 3, 2012

The biggest Issue is that people feed the resellers. Paying rediculous prices like 400 for the big bang lebron 9s and 2500 for those galaxy foams gives them all the incentive in the world to camp for days to sell a sneaker.... The price of the lebrons are now falling as wise people realize they are not worth that much....

DrizzyNYC · Mar 3, 2012

Originally Posted by CowColor

I completely agree, even thought i am a new collector and even thought i was on time for the new releases i still am not able to get them because oft he hype and resellers so i am forced to buy from resellers.

This.... You are never forced to buy from a reseller that's just feeding them, the sneaker you want can always be had at a more reasonable price if you just wait.

darth anibal · Mar 3, 2012

First time poster here, but I've been hooked since my first pair of IVs, back in '89. As with any hobby/interest that has a more "underground" following, things always get bad when "outsiders" suddenly get turned on to it (don't get me started on Hip-hop, I feel the same way about that). You remember when most people who weren't into sneakers thought Air Force Ones were ugly, and questioned why you would still want to buy a pair of sneakers from 1982? You remember when Nike initially retroed the first 3 Air Jordans and NOBODY (besides us) was buying them? In their constant pursuit of being unique, hipsters/hypebeasts/posers (whatever you wanna call them) embrace these "fringe" interests because they feel it makes them different, or cooler, for being hip to something the mainstream doesn't understand. Nevermind that they're just piggybacking off a culture that was already in existence before they laid eyes on it. You think this whole "geek chic" thing will last a few more years? No. They'll be on to the next thing, after they've sucked all the perceived coolness out of it. Hopefully, the same can be said about the sudden interest in sneakers from all these people who never understood it, and still don't get it. And with their abandonment of our hobby, hopefully, the re-sellers and profiteers go with them. How many people out there are sitting on their Beanie babies that they spent fortunes on to get, only to watch them become worthless? It'll happen, we just have to ride this out. Sneaker culture isn't a passing thing like that. I know I'm not the only one here who's been at this for 23 years. If only Nike could hold off on all these recent dope releases, until the storm passes, though.

With these white/cement IVs that just released, I got my grails. I got a pair of Concords (second only to the IVs, in my book). I got my black/cement IIIs. I got my Bordeaux VIIs. I'm hoping to get these playoff XIIs. That's most of my top 5 that I've been able to replace (since all my originals have dry-rotted by now). I'm pretty much set to "retire" (for now...), but I'd hate to see us lose this sense of pride and community we have in this sneaker culture because the mainstream has infiltrated it. It sucks to lose something that you hold so dear, and I hope we get it back sooner than later.

Just for kicks (pun intended), here's a pic of my OG Concords. Can you believe that price tag?

422050_10150629786751668_559516667_8884949_1938740683_n.jpg

limitedretroog · Mar 3, 2012

Blame inflation.

leonidas · Mar 3, 2012

There is a huggggeeeeee difference between being a sneakerhead, and having the latest, freshest kicks. There are like 30 dudes at my school claiming to be sneakerheads, when really they just copy what they see. These are the kids with the white cements, and concords that their mommies and daddies bought for them. There should be a whole different classification between hype-beast, and celebrity-slurper. These kids dont know what is going on in the real sneaker world, so they cannot be labeled hypebeasts. They only copy celebs because thats whats cool. They wear the cut off denim vests, and supreme/lv %##$ because they saw wale/ye/cudi/whoever wearing it. Thats more of celeb-slurping. Hypebeasts still exist, but not like they used to..

Nike has got to change their marketing strategies !!!! They dont even make any money from the reselling, so why make the shoes so limited ?!?????!???!??? MAKES NO SENSE !!
This hella rich kid at my school came up to me and started braging about how his dad was going to give him a loan so that he could buy 2 pairs of galaxy foams TO RESELL !!!! WTFFFFFFFFF i was in hysterics... this kid did not know didily squat about any shoes, or anything, but somehow he knew that sneakers were cool now, and he knew about the galaxys, so he put the 2 together to make himself UBER KEWL.... I hope he goes broke...

Kids in the DMV are also calling themselfs sneakerheads whenever they go to kickkspott, or anywhere else, and go buy the most limited thing they can get. That doesnt make you a sneakerhead, it makes you a fool with too much money.

The state of the game right now is not too good. Something big is about to go down. something huge...

But thats just my 2 cents...

space doodoo pistols · Mar 3, 2012

the culture's been dead to me for years.

i remember seeing the same heads at foot locker since '97. fast forward about 10 years and it's all kids and piece of trash resellers. it sucks having to try 5 different websites and call from two phones just to try and get my size before some pig takes it and tries to flip it on ebay for a $100 profit.

i don't disparage the youth so much, the youth that never saw Mike play, the youth that don't remember their parents being scared ishless over the possibility of getting shoe-jacked. it's those resellers.

i remember one guy at the Space Jam release (i was there with my boy who was the manager because i didn't believe kids were acting like fools over these) walking out holding his box in the air hollerin' "TENNAHALF 400 BUCKS" and this dude i know that worked at the theater bombing on his chin, taking the box and dropping 2 bills on him as he lay on the ground. 'twas gorgeous.

sick kikz · Mar 3, 2012

Thank you for this post, i can really agree with what you guys have to say, there's not that many real heads left, if only it was the 90's again

diablosneaker · Mar 3, 2012

We can complain all we want NT fam but don't forget we are ALL part of this problem as well... When you pay 2 times over retail for kicks we are sending a message to JB, Nike and resellers that there is more money to be made from us... JB and Nike will keep on doing what they do for the publicity and resellers will keep on buying everything up to make money from us. Its not their fault when consumers are still paying ridiculous prices. Don't just say the fire is getting too hot and getting too big but continue to add fuel. I have missed out on all the Jordan and foam releases after the concords because I want to stop adding fuel. I am not going to line up or go online at wee hours anymore.... I have made a promise to myself I am NOT going to pay 50 bucks over retail for any shoes no matter how much I love them. This has got to stop and I am doing it by drawing a line and I hope I can convince you guys to do the same. Lets join together and send a message to J, Nike and resellers that this BS is unacceptable and do it by stop buying!

PRIME · Mar 3, 2012

Originally Posted by bence23

Originally Posted by Vaddy

Originally Posted by PRIME

Back in the day everyone and their mom had EVERY Jordan release. No sort of legacy will be tarnished by giving people what they want.
The Jordan III used to go on SALE racks, that didn't tarnish the sneakers legacy...

People like air jordans, they aren't just exclusive to dudes who are part of an online message board. EVERYONE deserves to have the shoes they want. And its Nike's job to supply the people with what they want.

More shoes = more money for Nike.

More shoes = Satisfied customers

Less shoes =/= Satisfied customers or more money for Nike.

%#+# just doesn't make sense to me.

Click to expand...

I understand all of your post, I was alive and well in the 90's, don't let my babyface fool you.

I know XI's sat on the shelves back then aside from the Breds... What I meant in my original post was more directed towards PRESENT DAY events. The popularity of Jordan brand has risen to astounding heights my dude. Concord release has put JB in the public light in a positive/negative way..... Again IMO making mass quantities of XI's/III's or V's will bastardize the shoe. Your telling me you would be happy if the whole block had on your favorite pair of J's like they were a pair of New Balance's or Adidas Superstars? I'm not happy with paying re-seller prices trust me, no one is but I would rather have JB come up with a solution other than mass producing my favorite sneakers. Again its my opinion, not a selfish guy but thats how I really feel about this situation.

Click to expand...

You gotta be kidding though. The 3's and 5s are too of the most WHORED out models ever. The 3's seem to release every 3 months and the 5s too.

Son the 3's/5's come out every 3-4 years. Thats not even that bad.

23sole · Mar 3, 2012

Originally Posted by JJ Jumpman 23

i will never understand when buying/collecting shoes became a "game."

I totally agree... or why is it even considered a "culture"?.. It's just shoes.. buy..collect...obsess

jjs · Mar 4, 2012

Originally Posted by RV019

It's just a phase. Sooner or later the hype of "collecting" sneakers will die. The hypebeasts will realize that it's a waste of time. Now I'm not sure if the whole "walking into the store anytime of the day" thing will come back, but I do know that resellers and hypebeasts are at their prime lmao. It'll take a drop after a while

Hope you are right, but I am really not sure. Youngsters are looking at older people and doing whatever they do. Now, "what's cool" is to where Jordans, so when those guys will have jobs and will be able to pay retail and even more (for resellers), they will buy shoes too. So the ones who quit will be replace by others... Maybe it is a phase but I think it will take a lot of time to pass.
Still hope we are at the prime of the hype because galaxy foams was just Crazy.

antonito90 · Mar 4, 2012

Gone for fishing

rojanjon · Mar 4, 2012

Originally Posted by jjs136

Originally Posted by RV019

It's just a phase. Sooner or later the hype of "collecting" sneakers will die. The hypebeasts will realize that it's a waste of time. Now I'm not sure if the whole "walking into the store anytime of the day" thing will come back, but I do know that resellers and hypebeasts are at their prime lmao. It'll take a drop after a while

Click to expand...

Hope you are right, but I am really not sure. Youngsters are looking at older people and doing whatever they do. Now, "what's cool" is to where Jordans, so when those guys will have jobs and will be able to pay retail and even more (for resellers), they will buy shoes too. So the ones who quit will be replace by others... Maybe it is a phase but I think it will take a lot of time to pass.
Still hope we are at the prime of the hype because galaxy foams was just Crazy.

I think the Concords were just the beginning...

The Galaxy's are just a glimpse into the potential that is out there for the madness to come...

roora85 · Mar 4, 2012

to everyone who is complaining, stop complaining. only losers complain.

information widely available online made the situation what it is today. back then there was no such info unless you heard it from a shop or etc so it made it easier to get. its only going to get worse.

when was the last time people knew about releases months in advance?

also dont blame resellers messing up everything. NONE of you would sell the shoes for what you bought it for. you would take market value on any shoe. resellers were there since the beginning of time.

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The State of the Shoe Game

bradnsu

KMante

dr damon

paritheplatypus

jvaldez

supermanblue79

yk12

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chicagoldrs

limitedretroog

rv019

DrizzyNYC

DrizzyNYC

darth anibal

limitedretroog

leonidas

space doodoo pistols

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diablosneaker

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23sole

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antonito90

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