Reebok: Sneakers, Hip-Hop, and Missed Opportunities

Trapital

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 execs

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