I don’t know how many rings LeBron James needs to get before Nike corrects the mess around their Championship Pack releases. Hopefully there will be more. It was really bad last year! But there were not enough pairs to cause a stir. This year, Nike released approximately ten times more (600 instead of 60), and we even got an online drop, but it’s just a bigger mess now. This past weekend Nike Lebron X Celebration Pack / Championship Pack has caused an enormous eruption of displeased sneakerheads. Corruption among employees and managers was at an all time high for this one. Internet forums are still buzzing and our friends at icysole.com summed it up pretty well. Continue reading for more info. I will say this… MVP and Championship colorways are for the true fans to feel connected with their favorite players and their accomplishments. All of Kobe’s accomplishment shoes were decently available. LeBron’s accomplishments releases are a disgrace so far. WE HAVE TO DO BETTER!
| From LeBron 10 |
This past weekend Nike Lebron X Celebration Pack / Champ Pack , has caused an enormous eruption of displeased sneaker heads and resellers. The biggest issue lying with the Foot Locker House Of Hoops and Nike Stores across the US that were carrying this “Ultra Limited Release”. Corruption amongst employees and managers was at an all time high for this. Particularly in these stores, Nike DC (Georgetown) , Nike Santa Monica and Dade County House Of Hoops. We can even add Lebron James’ own store UNKNWN in Miami to the list. Lets not forget the dumbest employee of them all, FERNANDO from House Of Hoops , who apparently was fired since his eBay listing displaying his name badge (shown below). Employees and Managers were selling pairs to the highest bidder, regardless of RSVP status or winning ticket status. Notorious Vladimir of Nike DC did both of these. If you had a pocket full of money, you could go and talk to him to guarantee yourself a pair (around $1k per pack to hold). See image below of guy guaranteeing Lebron Packs from this store. Dade County was similar to DC . Employees of Santa Monica clearly had visible packs of RSVP that were never picked up and told customers who were sitting out side the store from open to close they had no packs left. When clearly behind the counter, packs were still sitting way beyond the RSVP pick up window. The UNKNWN store manager was saw selling multiple packs out of his trunk to VIP clients as others waited in line and watched. The store “supposedly” had 15 packs, but only 8 of those walked out the store through their “ticket raffle system”. Leaving 7 packs unaccounted for. It is very clear that NIKE needs to address this RSVP system and the stores they allow releasing product. They talk about promoting a fair and even playing field environment for releases, but that is just impossible. Everybody that was lucky enough to get an RSVP at any store, did it through an RSVP service, which charged $400-$500 per successful twitter DM of the pack. One RSVP service even refunded $40K this weekend for unsuccessful RSVP attempts. This is just a sample of the rigged RSVP things that go on involving these stores that carry such product. Nike can easily address this and solve the problem with ease by NOT allowing product to arrive at the store. Product should be sent to CORPORATE / District Managers directly and have them hold the RSVP. Bring the product to the store with them and distribute it amongst the winners themselves. But than again, even corruption reaches that high in these stores. Everybody was looking for the “Big Score” with this Lebron pack.
View Comments (9)
Nike is crap... I don't care about the packs in the future at all until it's a general release. .. Honestly, if it ain't a general release... Don't even release it you bastards.
I think this is exactly what Nike wants, people willing to cheat, and scam for a quality product! & the rest of us who can't get our hands on them just settle for whatever we can get our hands on at top dollar, holding them on a pedestal amidst all the hype. Never the less, I'll continue to buy Nike product, just like millions of others and make them out to be exactly what they set out to be! All I know is I got some of the best sh-t around, only because its what I choose. Hey some one has to run this company, and untill its my turn I'll just sit back, and rock fly kicks. Just don't be mad...cuz...you...can't do what I do! Like Nike says just do it!
So stupid although I feel nike might be doing this to hype future retros of these which would work think about it in 10 years if they retro this pack we're all gonna remember not being able to cop them & buy without looking at the price tag
Let's face it. They don't make serious money now on this pack alone. They won't earn as much as they would by releasing them on a wider scale. It's all about the hype. Corks sold out in an instant and all the following NSW launches were doomed to share a similar fate. Last year the Crown Jewels also made sure that a couple of first Lebron X drops will have people wondering about the availability. Therefore it's always safer to buy them as soon as possible. It's a well oiled hype machine, but this means we're still loosing as fans.
Btw... look at the prices of the PEs. It used to be $400-1000 in the LEBRON 1-6 era, and $1000-3000 since.
I love LeBron shoes, but things like this are the reason why half of my Lebron friends are no longer interested into sneakers at all.
I know I've never seen the point of these VERY VERY VERY limited releases. As a huge leBron fan it pisses me off that not only can I not get this shoe in Australia because it wasn't released but if I buy it from a reseller I have to pay almost 10 times retail. If they release worldwide with numbers around 10000 they would be gonna in Minutes & bought by fans not resellers
Not just PE's in the new LeBron era are more expensive but douche bag resellers are raising prices of the older ones.
amen
I call it a promotional product or demonstration product. The point is that most people come to terms with the fact that they can not have this, but the desire to have them move and grow in similar products. Luxury marketing;) and I do not feel the pressure now, since LeBron went to Miami, I'm still a fan, but I will always have the memory of years in Cleveland and Nike artwork. However, 11 promises to be really interesting
I don't want the pack! I need the red shoes in an 8.5. If you know of a place I can find them, email me at traceyrae21@gmail.com.