TEXAS — Nike was set to release a USA themed Air Max 1 on the Fourth of July.

  • The shoe was to be released on July 4
  • They were pulled from public release
  • The shoes are selling for thousands of dollars

But when reports of controversy over the design surfaced, the sneakers were pulled from the public. At issue, a Betsy Ross flag design on the back of the shoe. Colin Kaepernick reportedly raised concerns about the flag’s connections to racism.

However, some pairs got out to the public and by Friday they had become big ticket items on auction sites like Ebay. We talked to a Texas sneaker expert to explain why the sneakers are now in high demand.

“If all this controversy didn’t happen, the shoes would still be sitting in stores and nobody would talk about it,” said Peanut, owner of Texas Shoe Exchange.

Vasquez says there wasn’t much buzz for these shoes before this week and if they would’ve been released as planned, folks would pay normal price.

“A shoe like that could go under retail, but now a $180 shoe might go for a $1,000 or $2,000,” said Vasquez. “People want to go around saying I have a pair of shoes you don’t have.”

Pairs were listed at a premium on Ebay. One with over 100 bids on Friday was up to more than $15,000.

Photo of a Nike logo sign (Spectrum News)
Photo of a Nike logo sign (Spectrum News)