Basketball Shoe Culture

HarlequinHarlequin New Arrival
edited September 2011 in Spurious Generalities
I played basketball somewhat seriously over a period of six years, and one thing that I could never get my head around was the obsession with shoes. Every star in the NBA comes out with their own personalized shoe that can be bought by the average joe for some extortionate price.

I've played a lot of other sports (Volleyball, Athletics, Rugby, Soccer) and I've never encountered anything like this. Whenever I've asked someone why, they have failed to give any reason for this obsession with shoes.

Can anyone give any insight into this fetish for new, flashier shoes that ballers seem to have?

Comments

  • edited July 2011
    I've known of people to do the same thing with Rugby and Soccer, but I've never seen the point in it. I see the point in pro's skateboarding shoes though. Some of them are awesome :D
  • HarlequinHarlequin New Arrival
    edited July 2011
    I've seen it a little bit in soccer, not so much rugby. But it almost seems like a massive part of basketball culture. If you want to be taken seriously you have to wear Air Jordans or HyperDunks. It's bloody ridiculous.

    I agree though, in a sport like skateboarding where image is practically everything, you need an awesome pair of shoes, and damn some of those shoes are awesome.
  • edited July 2011
    I wasn't really talking about the image, although it IS a way for the pro's to get recognized. Skate shoes are technically designed things, and they're always bringing out better ankle support, toe protection, different designs which allow for more stability and support etc. I usually buy a skate shoe depending on it's quality, rather than for the image.

    Anyway, back to basketball now and I do agree that the people who take it seriously all go out and buy super expensive shoes which probably aren't any better than the last pair they had. My friend buys Air Jordans, and I don't see the point.
  • jewnosejewnose Regular
    edited July 2011
    It's just marketing. They dump tons of money into advertising and this is why.

    I gotta ask though, you listed sports you've played and you put "athletics" in there. What does that mean? Athletics is a broad term here in the US so you got my curiosity up.
  • buddhabuddha Regular
    edited July 2011
    I have a pair of the most popular basketball shoes ever made, and I only paid $30, so the OP is a dipshit.
  • jewnosejewnose Regular
    edited July 2011
    Man, Chucks used to be my favorite but they just don't make them very well any more. Last pair I had fell apart after about a month and I wasn't doing anything stressful to them. They were more my hang out and chill shoes than anything.

    When I was a kid I had a checkered pair and thought I was the shit. I also had black, white, red, hot pink, turquoise, bright yellow, a Spuds MacKenzie pair with pawprints on them, high tops, low tops, the extra tall high tops that you fold down, you name it.

    Confessions of a former Chucks junkie.
  • kylereyes559kylereyes559 Semo-Regulars
    edited September 2011
    have you tried steve madden boots, they go with any outfit. it gives me a rich feel.
  • ThirdRockFromTheSunThirdRockFromTheSun <b style="color:blue;">Third<em style="color:pink;">Cock</em>FromThe<em style="color:brown;">Bum</em
    edited September 2011
    They make money, that's baiscally all they're there for.

    As for the obsession? I'm not sure.
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