Cristian Gonzalez
Collaborations between sportsmen and brands are common in the sports industry. In this case, Nike‘s new sneakers give a fitting posthumous tribute to Jackie Robinson.
Nike took the time to develop sneakers based on Jackie’s life, taking into account the legacy of this great athlete, remembered for being the first black baseball player to reach the Major Leagues.
These sneakers called Nike Dunk Low “Jackie Robinson” were launched on July 19, 2022, at the MLB All-Star Game in Los Angeles: a perfect celebration to launch these new sneakers, as it celebrates the best of the game’s present and past.
The Nike Dunk Low Jackie Robinson, the Tribute to a Great Man
Let’s remember Jackie Robinson’s historical significance in breaking down barriers in sports and in an American society that had discounted the involvement of black players in sports in the country. His bravery and perseverance broke through that barrier, determining what the sport and athletes would be like from then on.
Nike used all of the great baseball player’s legendary past as a reference; all of this history was focused on the creation of these new sneakers, including his life philosophy:
I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me… All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.
Jackie Robinson
Nike has long had a tight relationship with the Jackie Robinson Foundation, in which they have committed about three million dollars over the last five years to assist academics in their youth and leadership program, as well as the foundation’s museum.
This foundation and the Nike brand benefit from promoting their idea of inclusion and empowerment through sports, which is completely tied to Jackie Robinson’s life philosophy, something which helped him break the color line 75 years ago.
Nike paid attention to the smallest details in the design of these sneakers to pay honor to the legendary MLB athlete.
It has a mix of blue and white colors, reminiscent of the old uniform worn by the athlete. On the shoe tongue, you can find the year in which Jackie made his debut in the Dodgers. On the sides, we can see the words that we quoted above.
These shoes can be used both in sporting scenarios and on the street, as they adapt excellently to either of these two environments.
