Is Jordan Still the Shoe Brand to be Reckoned With?

    Ever since Michael Jordan ruled the NBA in the 80’s and 90’s, Air Jordans have been the shoe that represented the culture of the youth. Whether it be on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, any rap music video, or on the basketball court, it’s guaranteed that you’ll spot at the very least 1 pair of some fresh J’s. But as fashion is shifting in this new day and age, are Jordans still the supreme leader in the shoe game, or is there another brand or another shoe on the rise to dethrone the brand? And are “hypebeasts” shifting the culture in a negative direction surrounded by overpriced graphic t-shirts and sweaters? The real answer comes from both the general public and of course statistics.

Generally, Jordans and their closest competitor at the moment, Adidas, have relatively similar retail prices for their shoes. Usually, if you’re lucky, you can find a pair of retro Jordans in the store for around $185 while Yeezy’s are sold at $220 retail (which is impossible to find). Since it’s difficult to buy these shoes from retail, the most reliable, as well as the most popular option today, is to buy the shoes from a 3rd party for resale price. While these prices vary, an average pair of Jordans can be bought from a range of $200-$350. Yeezy’s are extremely expensive ranging from $1,100-$2,000. The cheaper price clearly has an impact as Jordan Brand  earned a total of $2.8 in sales compared to Adidas $8.77.6 million in 2016.

But the question is is this world wide? What about in Harborfields High School? Dylan Corgan, a junior within the high school, claims Adidas is his go-to shoe, as he owns 8 pairs of Adidas Ultra Boosts (retail from $180-$240). He enjoys rocking the Ultra Boosts because “they’re both really comfortable and stylish.” But while Adidas is his favorite brand, he does think that Nike as well as Vans are the shoes of today’s generation.  Esteban Roman and Ricky Mazur both like Nike as their go to shoes and also see both Nike and Jordan as the most common shoes of today. All three also feel like the most they’d be willing to spend on a pair of kicks is $130, which is below retail for most Jordans, Nikes, and Adidas. Roman however differs from the three because he claims that “hypebeasts” are shifting the sneaker culture in a negative direction. “Nobody has a mind of their own anymore. It seems like everybody is jumping on the hypebeast train.” Mazur also feels like over time the hypebeasts will take over and ruin the sneaker culture.

All in all, maybe the sneaker wave could start to begin moving in another direction. While Nike and Jordan and the Goliaths of today’s shoes, more and more of them are starting to sit on the shelves as more and more Adidas are starting to leave them. In our community, it still seems like Jordans are the shoe of our generation, but don’t be surprised if in the near future an underdog comes in and takes the spotlight of shoes not just in Greenlawn, but worldwide as well.