While Wall Street and shoe media outlets continue to report how Curry is outselling Lebron, Kobe, Kyrie and KD, can Curry carry UA by himself ?
I don’t know how UA could have had a better year than 2015. Cam, Spieth , Brady, Bryce and Curry ? And in 2016, tennis player Andy Murray has a resurrection and wins Wimbledon and the Olympics? Big props to UA’a talent scouting department!
By the way, anyone want to see Andy Murray’s first protype? Looks familiar doesn’t it? Clutchfit on clay sounds like a recipe for hot ass feet and blisters. His newer prototype looks like an Adidas Barricade with Clutchfit
I stated last summer that the Frankenshoes UA was putting out would hit outlets and sales prices as well as the CFD2 and sure enough I was right
Curry does have a halo effect on UA basketball but its reach isn’t strong enough to save pedestrian design and don’t even get me started on their basketball apparel. If UA wants to sell more basketball appeal, clean up the look and quit making these clothes that have Ross and Marshalls written all over it.
You’re an athletic apparel company first and foremost so please at least play the part!
I’d really like to see a breakdown of all of UA basketball sales because I’m pretty sure it’s 160 million of Curry and then about 30-40 million for the rest. Way too unbalanced and way too Iverson and Reebok esque. How’s Reebok basketball doing these days?
I know UA is trying but they really need to diversify their portfolio if they want to build a long term basketball brand. Even Adidas understands now that the signature athlete model is the way to go in building a basketball brand.
Here are some things I think they should do in the meantime:
First off, get rid of the Frankenshoes and the mid season shoes. The only shoes from last summer that were interesting to me were the Highlight 2 and the Torch 4.
I mean I don’t even know what these are as there was zero media news. I just saw them at a local sports store and online. Why rehash and re-ugly a shoe that didn’t sell in the first place?
Rehashed Clutchfit Drive 2 at $109
As well as another rehashed or reuglied CFD2 variant
But now under the Torch name
Why on earth would I buy these watered down models when the CFD2 and Torch 4 are available for even less ? Granted most consumers aren’t as edshoecated as the rest of us but still…
Too many models creates confusion and could be better spent on better design. It’s like going to Cheesecake Factory where the menu is ten pages when two would have sufficed. By shortening the roster of shoes, UA could improve the quality of the product as well as manufacturing (glue stains don’t bother me that much but I’d rather not see any). They’d also improve their economy of scale, meaning they could make more of the same product for a lower cost per product since they are making more of that product.. man that’s wordy. Just Google economies of scale..
Another problem for UA is their prices are too close together. The Curry 2 retailed at $130 while the CFD 2 was a mere five bucks less at $125. Not to mention the Fireshot at $119. I didn’t even both trying those after reading Jake and Duke’s reviews by the way.
As Curry prices go up, the team models might become more appealing but they really have to figure out some new designs to even get the attention of consumers.
And the Curry Lux ? UA is trying to give itself some street cred and be fashionable but you just can’t give yourself that title. Full size runs pretty much everywhere
Pretty dumb idea in my opinion as the market will figure itself out. Only people buying those are ultra fanatics which doesn’t include me somehow.
I hope UA reads this or is currently in the process of changing their product line up for the sake of consumers and their bottom line. I’d hate to see its potential wasted during Curry’s huge surge in popularity. Maybe GSw losing the 2016 Finals might make UA realize how reliant they are on Steph to sell shoes ? It may come from below as UA says but it starts from the top with UA management.
Great read. I agree. Super perplexing why UA keeps making similar-looking basketball shoes…no diversity. And like you mentioned, what’s even worse is they’re all priced similarly as well.
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Me too. Upper management must be confused. 140, 110, 85, 65 would be enough to make someone think about price
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Imagine if Curry was with Nike…r.i.p all guard shoes. Only LeBrons and Currys will sell!
UA and the Curry line is doing a tremendous job with sales. I hope they can up the ante with the designs of the shoes (not a big fan of the Curry 3s). Other than that…all brands seem like they’re taking down the sleeping giant.
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They def need new designers. Curry three straight rip off of the aj xx2 look and backstory
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Lovely article..Spot on as always. I know a lot of people hate to read complaints and gripes about companies and products, but sometimes it just needs to be said. I do hope the people at UA are reading and listening for market research as it may save their business one day. UA needs new designers for everything, shoes, shorts, shirts, the whole lot! The only thing I seem to like are their college jersey designs, but even some of those fall short. It might be worth prying some talent from the Nike design team. The only reason I don’t buy UA apparel (other than compression) is the design and price, why get a UA short for say 30£ when a nike one looks much better and may cost less or the same. C’mon UA, we’ve been rooting for you..do something right!
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Great article! I agree 100% with all of your statements!
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Thanks !
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whoa you really own a lot of Curry 2s.
And I agree. All of their shoes, and I mean all of them, are generic looking, boring, and waaay too similar.. Confusion amongst the offerings aside, there is no draw or visual appeal, no interesting tech.. just a foam cushion with glue everywhere. And their apparel is atrocious. I buy Russell Athletic over UA! It’s dirt cheap and honestly looks nicer, and their dry fit tech works just as well. If I want to pay UA prices, I get Nike for a superior look and function.
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Nike does have a cleaner look. I only have a few plain ua shirts and a few shorts that look simple.
That pic was before the curry 2 came out so now it’s about 50% more lol
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i want them spawns!!!! 😀
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