After weeks of heated combat in the SN March Madness Sneaker Tournament, only two leather-clad warriors are left standing, each with their eyes fixed on the pride, glory and bragging rights that come along with being named the greatest sneaker of all time. While the eventual winner might not be your personal favorite, the choices made throughout the tournament have come solely from you, our loyal readers, so majority rules and the champion will hold the title thanks to your votes. As you can see, the final battle will see two of the sneaker world’s most beloved Nike subdivisions go toe to toe, as the winner of the Air Jordan bracket and the Nike Dunk SB bracket face off for the crown.
The Air Jordan XI has been cruising through the competition up until this point, but the Pigeons have taken out some pretty tough competition on their way to the finals as well. It should be very interesting to see who emerges as the victor, and it all starts with your votes. Polls are open now, so get your votes in and stay tuned to find out who will walk away as our March Madness Sneaker Tournament champion. Voting will remain open until Thursday at midnight with the winner announced Friday.
SN MARCH MADNESS SNEAKER TOURNAMENT FINALS
[1] PIGEON DUNK SB
While the Air Jordan XI was helped out by the recent memories of Christmas Day jubilation, the release of Jeff Staple’s Nike SB Dunk Low Pro ‘Pigeon’ goes a little further back in time. Then again, you might convincingly argue that had Staple’s Pigeon Dunks not caused a riot in New York, that the entirety of sneakerhead culture might be drastically different. This is a shoe that many believe started the current wave of sneaker culture, a release event that set the tone for ravenous collectors and a steadily-growing hype machine. Is being the grail that reignited a whole subculture enough to make the Pigeon SB Dunks our Sneaker News March Madness Tournament Champion?
—
[2] AIR JORDAN XI
Did the greatest season in NBA history coincide with the release of the greatest sneaker of all time? In 1995, Michael Jordan began his first full season back in the league wearing a shoe that broke necks when it was spotted in the previous year’s playoffs, the Air Jordan XI. Its use of carbon fiber and patent leather demanded respect and with a 72-win season and an appearance in the movie Space Jam, it became synonymous with the absolute peak of Michael Jordan’s dominance. Nearly fifteen years after the OGs dropped, the Space Jam retro rendered retailers helpless in a way only rivaled by its competitor in this tournament. Does unparalleled excellence plus humongous hype make the Air Jordan XI the best sneaker in history?
—
Now it’s your turn to decide…
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHUP
[1] PIGEON DUNK SB vs. [2] AIR JORDAN XI