Blog #3 Lauren- Should Athletic Shoes Be So Pricey?

Should Athletic Shoes Be So Pricey If They Are So Important?

As you have seen in my prior blogs I have stated about the importance of athletic shoes. They say that the shoes are supposed to help with keeping injuries low. Such as preventing ankle sprains and back problems. Also in one of my last blogs I stated the price of some of these shoes. The Nike FreeRuns are a running shoe that can be used for causal jogs, walking, and running. They are known for being light weight and having good heel support. They usually run for about $100 at most stores. Another shoe that is important to its sport is the basketball shoe. You use your feet alot in basketball running around the court and what not, which can resort in broken ankles or plantar fanciitis which has to do with the sole of your foot. Most of the basketball shoes that are being produced today have more ankle support and are padded. For example Kevin Durants shoes called the KD 5's. They are priced at $115.

My arguement is that if we need to take care of our feet more and the shoes we wear for sports are so imporant, then why charge so much for them.

• In my opinion I think that it is the name of the shoe that sells and not the actual shoe and how it can help us. Most people know the name Nike and see celebrities wearing it and think it makes them one step closer to being a celebrity if they purchase and wear Nike. Nike is a billion dollar business and can afford to endorse famous athletes and make lots of prime time commercials which makes it seem like their shoes are better and can do more for us. Now on the other hand there are other running shoes and basketball shoes that can do the same thing but are way cheaper. There is a retired athlete and his name is Stephon Marbury and he has his own brand of basketball shoes.They have the same effect on your feet as Kevin Durants shoes but are little heavier but do the same thing. Whats the difference you ask?...While Kevin Durants shoes is 115, The Starburys are only $15 max. Mind blowing right? Now why is this? They are both basketball shoes and do the same thing.....Its all about the name and logo. If Nike really cared about your feet and thought their shoes were important why wouldn't they lower their prices so maybe families with lower incomes could afford the right type of shoe.

Athletic Shoes shouldn't be so expensive if they are trying to help athletes out. Not everyone can afford $100 dollar shoes. Some of society doesn't even know about off brand shoes and how they can do the same as name brand shoes. They see name brand every where being endorsed and then see off brands and think that since they are off brand and less expensive that they can't get the job done.

Sources:

LexisNexis

NBA.com

ProQuest Newsstand

Google Scholar