*Michael Jordan and Nike are being blamed for a rash outbreak of violence over a new pair of shoes.
ESPN writer Jemele Hill writes in a recent column that both Jordan and the sports shoe Juggernaut need to take responsibility for their promotion of greed and blanket insanity over footwear.
At any rate, the company marketed a pair of Air Jordan XI Concords for a very limited time, for Christmas.
The $180 shoes were in such high demand that it caused consumers to break out in fights, stampedes, and other abnormal behaviors all to get hands on them.
Here’s what Ms. Hill wrote.
… Last week, Jordan and Nike released his retro gym shoe, the Air Jordan XI Concords — which Jordan wore during the 1995-96 season, when the Bulls notched a record 72 regular-season victories and won the NBA championship — in time for the Christmas rush, but the special release incited a rash of violence nationwide …
Jordan and Nike didn’t directly encourage this recklessness. They didn’t tell people to trample others who waited in line, and it’s not their fault that a segment of people have such skewed priorities.
But that doesn’t absolve Jordan or Nike for willingly feeding an out-of-control monster.
Let’s put aside the fact that these Air Jordans cost an absurd $180. The marketing campaign for these shoes is essentially akin to yelling “fire” in a crowded movie theater.
Nike, which created the Air Jordan brand in 1984, makes a big deal out of the fact that it only releases the Jordan XIs — arguably Jordan’s most sought-after shoe — once a year and they will be in available only in extremely limited supply.
Translation: Do whatever you have to do to get these shoes.
And if people get hurt in the process, so be it.
Yes, it’s the basic supply-and-demand sales strategy, but it’s irresponsible for Nike to ignore the violent problems these limited-edition shoes create.
Read/learn MORE at ESPN.
Michael Jordan and Nike are partly to blame for the mayhem that ensured across the country BUT our society as a whole shares a big responsibility, we value MATERIAL things that to some of us are a status symbol over common sense most of the time. The mobs of people would could not wait until the mall was opened they broke the windows and in one case the front doors down and trampled over others just to get to those Overpriced ugly looking sneakers. IMO and sad to say it was mostly blacks who were acting like they have never had a pair of sneakers before in their life.and in hte meantime MJ and Nike are raking in the dough.
Of course MJ shares a lionshare of the blame, right next to us. Because it is US who didn’t put an end to this foolishness when we were paying 100 for them back in the day. We didn’t hold MJ accountable then and now it’s too late. He’s made a fortune while we were focused on hip hop and having funerals for words.
Funny,every year “Black Friday” people of all colors act stupid,no store /vendor re:WHITE CORPORATIONS gets blamed.These kids act stupid,now we blame MJ.That to me is absurd Jemele Hill aint the sharpest knife in the draw,I’m familiar with her drivel The only people who should be blamed are those who acted foolish and their parents if they didn’t raise them better.Musbdherbs,we didnt hold MJ accountable.How about we hold ourselves accountable/responsible,if someone is trying to sell u something, do you have to buy it? PS not an MJ fan,admired him on the court only.He lost me when he wouldn’t support Harvey Gantt vs the racist Jesse Helms and made the infamous statement ,Republicans buy sneakers too.