Sneaker News In addition to the Air Jordan 5 “Black Cat” release being canceled, it appears that several other Retro colorways have been placed on the back-burner for now.
According to @zsneakerheadz, a total of six Air Jordan Retros, originally intended to hit stores during the final quarter of the year, have been canceled. This could mean these select few were either scrapped entirely or pushed back to a later date in 2025. The former seems likelier given the declining popularity and sales of Air Jordan Retros that are neither an original colorway, a valued Retro colorway from the 2000s, or a high-heat collaboration.
Certain Jordan Retros, once at the forefront of the retro lifestyle sneaker movement, have seen a clear drop in popularity and relevance. Declining value in the secondary market has also deterred resellers from buying stock in bulk as there is little to no profit to be made, leaving the brand with unprecedented inventory surplus. This leads to Air Jordan Retro product eventually being relegated to Nike Factory Outlet stores as seen in various social media posts. With the prices of Air Jordan Retro footwear climbing upwards and demand making an opposite descent, the business of Jordan Retro needs a shake-up in order to escape the fragile point it’s mired in right now.
This explains why the 2025 Jordan Releases line-up is what it is. There are dozens of Air Jordans scheduled to release next year viewed as “can’t miss” by the Jordan community. While 2025 does mark somewhat of a milestone for Jordan Brand (The 40th Anniversary of the Air Jordan), it’s clear that Jordan Brand is letting its very best out of the floodgates in order to recoup the cultural relevance and excitement that has clearly diminished despite their $7 billion revenue over the last fiscal year.
Of the cancelled releases, only the Air Jordan 5 “Black Cat” appeared to be promising. The remaining five would have likely flopped, sitting at retail before being eventually marked down at discount.
