82 522
Fashion Jobs
HENKEL
Material Handler
Permanent · BAY POINT
HENKEL
Director, Business Development
Permanent · ROCKY HILL
HENKEL
Quality Manager
Permanent · LAGRANGE
HENKEL
Market Segment Manager Defense & Space
Permanent · ROCKY HILL
HENKEL
Global Key Account Manager - Consumer Device Southern California
Permanent · IRVINE
SACK OFF 5TH
Asset Protection Uniform Guard
Permanent · PARAMUS
SACK OFF 5TH
Asset Protection Investigator
Permanent · SHREWSBURY
SACK OFF 5TH
Fulfillment Associate Part-Time
Permanent · LAWRENCEVILLE
NGG
Sales Supervisor
Permanent · NEW YORK
COTY
Assistant Marketing Manager, us Luxury - Burberry Makeup
Permanent · NEW YORK
NORTH CAROLINA STATE
Enterprise Research Administration Training Manager
Permanent · RALEIGH
NORTH CAROLINA STATE
Academic Coordinator
Permanent · RALEIGH
CENTRIC BRANDS
(Assistant) Manager, Logistics (Origin Carriers)
Permanent · NEW YORK
CENTRIC BRANDS
Keyholder, Robert Graham - Scottsdale
Permanent · SCOTTSDALE
CENTRIC BRANDS
Keyholder, Robert Graham - Las Vegas (Forum Shops)
Permanent · LAS VEGAS
MICHAEL KORS
PT Sales Supervisor, Walt Whitman Shops Huntington Station NY 11746
Permanent · HUNTINGTON
JCREW
Associate Manager
Permanent · CHARLOTTE
RAG & BONE
Account Executive
Permanent · NEW YORK
RAG & BONE
Senior Coordinator, Retail Marketing
Permanent · NEW YORK
MACY'S
Manager, Asset Protection
Permanent · FRIENDSWOOD
MACY'S
Asset Protection Detective, Southlake Mall - Part Time
Permanent · CLAYTON
MACY'S
Asset Protection Detective - Multi-Store, South Shore Plaza - Full Time
Permanent · BRAINTREE
By
Reuters API
Published
Jan 17, 2020
Reading time
2 minutes
Download
Download the article
Print
Text size

Why a ban on Vaporfly shoe could boost Nike's bottom line

By
Reuters API
Published
Jan 17, 2020

A controversy over Nike's hyper-advanced Vaporfly shoes that some say give runners an unfair advantage could boost sales, especially among amateurs hoping for more spring in their step who would not be affected by any ban.


Vaporfly - Nike


"Controversy is good for sales," said Matt Powell, senior sports industry adviser at NPD Group. "Nike has not made a lot of pairs here, so (there is) no real financial impact. Amateur runners can still run in these shoes."

The running world is waiting for word from governing body World Athletics, which for months has been examining what to do about the high-tech footwear, used by Kenyan runners Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei in stunning performances last year.

Among the options facing the organisation are to impose a wholesale ban on the shoes or take more limited measures to deal with their carbon plate and foam sole technology.

Debate has raged among athletes and commentators about whether the shoes should be allowed and if a ban could be implemented effectively beyond heavily monitored elite racing.

Kipchoge, who wore Vaporflys when he ran the first sub-two-hour marathon in Vienna last October, told the Telegraph on Wednesday that wearing the shoes was "fair" and that the sport should embrace such technological advances.

Nike, the world's largest athletic apparel company, says on its website that the shoe, which retails at around $250, has "a built-in secret weapon". It did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

Independent studies have concluded that the shoes, which have a curved, carbon-fiber plate embedded in a layer of lightweight foam, improve metabolic efficiency by 4%, though that does not necessarily mean a runner will be 4% faster.

"On the surface, banning a shoe for providing exceptional performance wouldn't mar Nike's reputation," said Carol Spieckerman of consultancy Spieckerman Retail. "The controversy could easily increase general sales for the Vaporfly."

Shares in the Oregon-based firm were up 0.5%, while rival Under Armour rose 0.6 percent and Skechers USA gained about 1.6%. Japan's Asics Corp earlier closed up 2.5%.
Nike, which aims to sell $50 billion worth of sportswear this year, capitalized in the 1980s on the controversy around Michael Jordan wearing red and black sneakers that violated the NBA's "predominantly white" rules.

Nike put black censor bars over the sneakers in TV ads and later re-launched its Air Jordan 1 shoes in a "banned" edition. The brand went on to become a billion dollar business.
 

© Thomson Reuters 2024 All rights reserved.