Banned By The NBA, Or, How To Sell Shoes
It seems harmless enough, right? A pair of shoes that claims to help you jump higher, maybe even throw down a two-handed jam? The $300 Athletic Propulsion Labs’ Concept 1 shoes utilize what essentially amounts to springs in the bottom of the shoe to give wearers another 3.5 inches of vertical leap. How may times have we heard THAT one before?
But here’s the kicker. According to the NBA, they actually WORK. The league officially banned the shoes, stating that they give players an “unfair competitive advantage”.
The league's ban on Athletic Propulsion Labs' Concept 1 confirms the company's claims that the shoe, with its Load ‘N LaunchTM Technology, performs as advertised. No professional player will be allowed to wear the product in games for the upcoming 2010-2011 NBA season.
The last time a shoe was banned was 25 years ago when the NBA nixed Nike’s Air Jordans for their colorful appearance.
The funny part is, even though players will not be allowed to use the totally awesome technology, by blacklisting the Concept 1s, the NBA has single-handedly given the shoes the biggest marketing boost in history.
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