In the wake of the stampedes, fights and arrests surrounding
the release of the limited-edition Jordan Concord VIs last week, a debate appears to have
erupted across many circles questioning the way the iconic shoes are being
sold.
In Houston, Bishop James Dixon of Community of Faith Church,
joined by community leaders said Nike should be held responsible and should
change the way they release the sneakers.
They also called on Nike and Michael Jordan to lower the price of the
shoes, which retail for $200.
“The people who can least afford these shoes are buying
these shoes,” said Ben Mendez, a Latino business leader, speaking to My
Fox Houston. “As a result of that there is more crime.”
In a column on ESPN, Jemele Hill questioned how much impact to Nike's bottom line would occur if Nike made more of Air Jordans available to retailers.
“Would the shoe lose any cachet if Nike made retro Jordans only available online in limited supply?,” wrote the columnist. “Apple products are also in high demand, but new items have been released without widespread violence. Air Jordans have generated billions of dollars for Nike. Asking for some corporate responsibility and a conscience doesn't seem like too much.”
Brad Tuttle, a columnist for Time magazine, decried that most of those waiting in line weren't the pre-teens and teens that first created a stir with the original release of Air Jordan in 1985. Today, the lines are dominated by guys in their 20's, with many looking to spin off their purchases on on the Internet. Earlier this week, sellers at Amazon were asking $600 to $975 per pair,
while the going price on eBay has generally been in the $400 to $500
range. The shoes have a suggested retail price of $180.
“Dropping $180 for something you’ll soon flip for a profit of $200 or more? There’s nothing crazy about that,” wrote Tuttle.
Writing for Green Valley News and Sun in Arizona, Corky Simpson lamented the mob mentality behind the incidents. He wrote, It’s good to see Nike doing so well, and uplifting (if that’s the word) to know that perhaps the greatest basketball player who ever lived, still inspires young people. Just the same, it’s distressing when mob rule and thug power break out, especially over something as frivolous as fancy-schmantzy basketball shoes.”
Hosts of 'The Five' on the Fox Network agreed it was ridiculous to blame Michael Jordan and Nike for shopping violence surrounding 'Air Jordan' shoes. Eric Bolling said, “Because they're desirable and people want them they're dangerous? How about crack? How about methamphetamine? How about all the litany of drugs that can really, really kill someone? It's a sneaker!”
The night after the incidents that took place on Dec. 23, Nike issued a statement condemning the violence. The statement read, “We are extremely concerned to hear of the reported crowd incidents around the launch of the Air Jordan XI at some select retail locations. Consumer safety and security is of paramount importance. We encourage anyone wishing to purchase our product to do so in a respectful and safe manner.”
