There are a lot of sneaker stories to keep track of on a daily basis, and we here at Sneaker News to our best to keep you abreast of all of them. And, when the month comes to its close, we like to take a look back at all the most significant events that went down, the ones that are most likely to have a lasting effect on the culture. Fortunately, March of 2014 provided plenty of those. So what were the biggest sneaker headlines from March of 2014?
Nikestore did quite a bit of shaking things up by both modifying their purchasing process and bringing back a good number of coveted pairs that we’d assumed were long gone. adidas had some pretty strong blows between the frenzy whipped up by their new ZX Flux silhouette and the official word regarding their acquisition of Pharrell Williams. Anyway, we don’t want to spoil it all for you in this space, so continue reading for these ten headlines and tell us in the comments which was the most memorable for you.
Mass Restock on Nikestore
Nikestore’s quarterly restocks have become a huge event in the sneaker world, and this one didn’t disappoint. Rumors circulated a week in advance and then it finally happened. On March 13th Nikestore coyly tweeted out the link, which included the full Nike Kobe “Prelude Pack”, lots of Gamma Blue Jordans, the “What the Kobe” 8, Oregon Foams, Doernbecher Freestyle goodies, and more.
Read More: Nikestore Restocks Gamma Blue 11, Kobe Prelude Pack, Oregon Foams, and More
Nikestore Adds Photo Verification
The back and forth between Nikestore and the bots continued on a Saturday morning, when users were hit with the surprise captcha-like request asking them to identify photos to prove their human status. Most folks celebrated the moment as a huge success for Nikestore, who proved once again that they’re committed to making sneaker purchasing as fair as possible.
Read More: Nikestore Launches Photo Verification Step for Sneaker Purchases
Fall 2014 Air Jordan Releases Revealed
Jordan Brand’s selected squad of #FlightClub individuals were privy to some pretty impressive previews as far as Fall 2014 Air Jordan retros were concerned. Thanks to Nitrolicious, we got a good look at Air Jordans 1, 3, 5, 6, and 14 that are all on their way in a variety of new and old colorways.
Read More: A Recap of Fall 2014 Air Jordan Retros
Nike Celebrates Air Max Day
Nike christened a new holiday this year by naming 3/26 as “Air Max Day”. The day in March marked the first launch of the Nike Air Max 1 back in 1987. This first celebration of the date resulted in a huge social media push and a huge number of Air Maxes on the street for the special day – but was the coinciding Air Max 1 release just a little bit of a let down?
Read More: Visible Heat: Nike Air Max 1 Gems Over The Years
Elephant Print Shows up For the Foamposite One
The public seems to be growing weary of the graphic Foamposites, but could this be the pair to turn things around? March revealed that a Nike Air Foamposite One “Elephant Print”, featuring that infamous pattern from the Air Jordan III, was on the way with an eye-popping pink palette.
Read More: Nike Air Foamposite Pro Elephant
adidas Takes the Sneaker World by Storm with the ZX Flux
When was the last time you remember this much buzz around an adidas release? The brand was already poised for a big 2014 thanks to their continued acquisition of pop-culture partners, but the adidas ZX Flux proved that they’ve got the in-line strength as well with its wild graphic versions that were quick to sellout.
Read More: adidas ZX Flux “Photo Print Pack”
Champagne and Cigars
The Air Jordan 6 “Cigar” has been known about for a while now, but this month we got word on the complementary Air Jordan 6 “Champagne” that also features a celebratory theme. Did we mention that they’ve got a championship ring lacelock and some glow in the dark touches?
Read More: Air Jordan 6 “Champange & Cigars”
Nike Basketball Confirms Prices for 2014 Elite Collection, Kobe 9 EM
Nike Basketball got plenty busy this month, as they finally pulled the veil off this year’s Nike Elite collection and came through with the official release dates and pricing info. On top of that they gave us the Nike Kobe 9 EM, which features a much more straightforward, low cut build for the Black Mamba’s newest signature shoe. The alarming info: the LeBron 11 Elite tops out at $275, and the Kobe 9 EM jumps $20 from last year’s model.
Read More: Nike Basketball Elite Team Collection
Sneaker Paychecks for NBA Superstars
How much do NBA superstars make from sneaker companies? We took a look at the many millions that guys like Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, and more are making from the brands. Hint: it’s a lot.
Read More: How Much Do NBA Athletes Get Paid By Sneaker Brands?
Sneaker News Presents its 5th Annual March Madness Sneaker Tournament
For the fifth year in a row, Sneaker News is pitting all sorts of sneakers against each other and letting the people decide in our annual March Madness bracket – which this time features Nike LeBrons. Which shoe will be left standing when it’s all over? Is the LeBron 8 “South Beach” the favorite to win the whole thing? Remember to vote to help us decide the fate of the tourney.
Read More: Sneaker News March Madness Nike LeBron Tournament