Reebok: Sneakers, Hip-Hop, and Missed Opportunities

It wasn’t that long ago that Reebok was head-to-head with the biggest athletic apparel companies in the world. In 1989, Reebok sales had exceeded Nike. In 2001, Reebok’s two biggest stars, MVPs Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson, faced off in the NBA Finals. In 2003, two of hip-hop’s biggest stars, 50 Cent and Jay Z, had their own Reebok sneakers.But less then a decade later, the brand was a… struggling CrossFit brand under the Adidas umbrella. What happened?In this week’s episode of Trapital, Zack O’Malley Greenburg and I take a trip down memory lane. We examine Reebok’s rise, challenges faced, big partnerships, failed acquisitions, and missed opportunities.[00:03:35] Reebok vs. Nike[00;15;34] Allen Iverson and hip-hop[00;19;59] Jay Z’s S. Dots, 50 Cent’s G-Unit sneakers[00;34;39] Adidas acquires Reebok[00;51;03] ABG acquires Reebok[01;02;11] AI and Shaq now Reebok execsThis episode is brought to you by Bevel. Beat the holiday rush and get 20% off the device of your choice. Offer ends Sun Nov 19. Get your device today.Want to write a guest post while I’m on paternity leave in 2024? Here’s the form to fill outEnjoy this podcast? Rate and review the podcast here! ratethispodcast.com/trapitalTrapital is home for the business of music, media and culture. Learn more by reading Trapital’s free memo.