Nike’s $28 Billion Mistake: The Sneaker That Refused to Die
In 1983, Nike made a decision that should’ve buried the Air Force 1 forever. They discontinued the sneaker, believing it had run its course—just another shoe in the endless churn of new releases. But Baltimore had other plans. The streets weren’t just wearing the AF1s; they were living in them. What happened next was an underground sneaker revolution, led by three fearless shop owners who refused to take “no” for an answer.
This is the untold story of hustle, heart, and one of the biggest blunders in sneaker history—a decision that nearly erased what would become a $28 billion icon. From Jamal, a Baltimore teen hustling for his first pair, to the legendary “Three Amigos” who fought to bring them back, this episode dives deep into the sneaker that defied corporate logic and became a streetwear legend.
Strap in—because without this story, sneaker culture as we know it might not exist.
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Air Force One Documentary: https://youtu.be/-yu7a3tqFdY
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This episode is brought to you by Zenzai, your favorite retro sneaker brand you've never heard of: Good for globe, bad for the boring.
Get on the waitlist for our first drop in 2025 and save 25% once we launch: www.zenz.ai
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This episode was crafted with the assistance of AI, but every creative choice was made by humans—AI was just the tool, not the storyteller.
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