Ball'n | Sneaker Shop Talk

The StockX data breach was about more than your money

September 21, 2019September 21, 2019 Brandon King

As much as they may have wanted it to be, the StockX data breach did not only fail to escape not the attention of the sneaker community but even was reported on by non-footwear related media outlets. Data breaches have become an unfortunate part of life, but how a company handles it can go a long way not only in restoring trust in a company but also in what actions could be taken against them. With their attempted obfuscation of the breach via an e-mail update ruse , StockX went…

Stupid Things People Do For Sneakers: Robbers take Air Jordans, shoot man with flare gun

April 11, 2018 Brandon King

The latest in our long line of leather and rubber inspired lunacy comes from from Buffalo, NY. According to police there, robbers clad in black ensembles robbed a man of his Air Jordans and then shot him with a flare gun. The victim told police that early Easter morning, 2:50 A.M., men unknown to him used force to swipe his sneakers. After he’d given up the kicks, one of the thieves shot him in the leg with a flare gun. The victim was treated at Eric County Medical Center. The…

GOAT is buying Flight Club

February 9, 2018 Brandon King

GOAT, an online marketplace for high-value sneakers, is acquiring Flight Club, the well-known sneaker consignment shop with locations in New York and Los Angeles. Flight Club is a cultural icon,but they were missing the tech side. We’ve grown into an established player, but we don’t have the retail yet.” – Eddy Lu, GOAT Chief Executive According to a GOAT spokeswoman, the deal involves a mix of cash and equity, although terms have not been disclosed yet. She also said that both brands will continue to operate independently. With the…

Sneaker Laundry angers client when they mess up shoes worth thousands

April 30, 2017April 30, 2017 Brandon King

Holystic Sneaker Laundry offers their clientele sneaker restoration services’ send them in after an otc consultation and they make them look like new. In an article by the playbook, customer Benedict Yeo’s experience with the business did not go well. Yeo took his Nice Kicks x adidas NMDs, a shoe whose rarity pushes its value into the thousands of dollars, to Sneaker Laundry for a round of cleaning and restoration services; this turned into a 23-day ordeal, more than double Holystic’s advertised 7-10 day turnaround…

Stupid Things People Do For Sneakers: Teen Accused of Sticking Up Facebook Sneaker Seller

February 2, 2017February 2, 2017 Brandon King

In our latest edition lowlighting the foolish things people take to get sneakers, we bring you the case of Javaris Platts. The 19-year old Jacksonville, Florida teen was accused of robbing a Facebook sneaker seller at gunpoint of a pair of Air Jordans. According to Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and reported by WJXT-TV, the robbery victim posted an ad on a Facebook page where sneakers are bought and sold. The seller and Platts agreed to meet to conduct the sale at Billy Cobb Senior Park. The police report stated when they…

Been Affected By Sneaker Violence? OSD Wants to Talk with you

January 30, 2017January 30, 2017 Brandon King

With our regular segment, “Stupid Things People Do for Sneakers, we have outlined some of the unintelligent course of actions, often violent and illegal ones, people take to obtain sneakers, or moneys derived from them. If you have been affected by sneaker-related violence, our friends at OSD, Obsessive Sneaker Disorder want to speak with you. Hit them up at their Facebook page or you can send them an email at info@odslive.com.

Joe Mixon: Another Case of Biased Media Reporting

December 25, 2016December 28, 2016 Brandon King

Unprovoked violence against anyone, regardless of sex, is wrong. No one has the right to put their hands on another person in an aggressive fashion. The recent footage that was released (somehow I find the timing odd to say the least) of the altercation University of Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon had with fellow student Amelia Molitor is very telling. Terming the media’s, and particularly the sports media’s, coverage of this story as irresponsible would be giving them an underserved courtesy. Every news outlet leads with some variation of Mixon…

U.S. Sneaker Production Could Become More Prevalent

November 1, 2016November 1, 2016 Brandon King

The tasks of producing much of the footwear we wear left for Asia many moons ago. However, technology could be bringing them back. That is because some of the major players in the footwear world- Nike, Adidas, and even Reebok , could be returning with robot-driven production facilities. Last week, Canton, Massachusetts based Reebok announced it planned to open a high-tech facility in Rhode Island in which sneakers would be produced by robots pouring plastic. Our idea was,if the U.S. Us where the innovation is, let’s make the product that’s…

SOLEcial Studies fall 2015 registration now open

September 20, 2015September 20, 2015 Brandon King

Obsessive Sneaker Disorder’s SOLEcial studies class has paved the way for many people’s entrance into the footwear industry. The 8 week course stretches the participants’ conceptions of the footwear industries and builds a sturdy foundation upon which a career in the footwear field can be built. The registration for the fall session, which commences October 13,2015, is now open. Interested parties can apply here through eventbrite. If you have questions about the class ask away at info@osdlive.com.

Why I Love This (Sneaker) Game

March 6, 2015March 6, 2015 worldofbc

by B.C. I have a confession to make. I’ve fallen off in the sneaker game. Many of you are probably wondering why I’m even writing this in the first place. Well, I feel that for one, my experience in the sneaker game has granted me all of the permission that I need to tell you this story. I was one of those guys who purchased sneakers before they were retroed years later, only to see them return to stores in a quality that was less-than-stellar. I, like many other people who…