After Michael Jordan revolutionized the sports shoe business in the mid-1980s, Shaquille O’Neal brought in a disruption on the brink of a new century. Shaq’s collaboration with Walmart in 1998 changed the priority of the market as they created a cheaper line of shoes. It helped several aspirants get a taste of their dreams, as Diesel himself reflected on his decision during an interview with GQ in 2022.
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Shedding light on his upbringing, the 51-year-old had justified his choice of giving back to the community throughout his journey.
“It is what my mother always taught me to do. It’s just helping people in need.”
His approach translated into the business field, too, as O’Neal highlighted,
“I didn’t feel it was necessary for me to continue to sell my shoes for $150”.
“My contract is already guaranteed, right? That’s the money part. I’m getting paid,” he mentioned while discussing the lack of necessity of creating a costly shoe brand. So, the 4x champion shifted to a mission-oriented mindset as fulfilling the dreams of youth became his preference. “If I sell a lot of expensive shoes, it would be another big check, but I’m not going to do that to nobody’s baby,” highlighted it out.
Alongside this, his past experiences played a key role in fueling his decision-making ahead of a global shift in the shoe market. Looking back on his playing days, he stated, “I always just wanted to have fair pricing for people, ’cause I couldn’t even go to my Dad’s office and ask him for $100 for no shoes”. Thus, Shaq had wholeheartedly kept faith in his choice as the 7’1 center kickstarted a line of shoes worth less than $30.
How Shaquille O’Neal succeeded while prioritizing consumers
The anticipation was at an all-time high as he entered the 1992 NBA Draft. Nike wanted to cash in on the hype as they offered him a $14 million contract for his shoe line. A 20-year-old Shaq aspired to make a name for himself in that market but rejected Nike’s proposal.
The New Jersey-born rather signed a 5-year deal with Reebook worth $25 million. Apart from the income, the collaboration provided him with creative control. The unique deal also gave the rookie the freedom to come up with his commercial ideas. Their first signature shoe together, ‘Shaq Attaq’ became a huge success as he announced himself in the shoe business.
Despite the fortune, the Los Angeles Lakers icon went in a different direction as he partnered with Walmart. Their goal as collaborators was to produce quality shoes at an affordable price point. “We’re not gonna sell cheap shoes. We’re gonna sell good shoes at a cheap price. Cause it’s not that kids don’t wanna wear $29 shoes, they don’t wanna wear shoes that look like they cost $29.00,” he previously stated while explaining their business plan.
The move fundamentally disrupted the market as they went on to sell over 400 million shoes since partnering. It further showcased its impact on the psyche of the buyers as Shaq’s endeavors ushered a new horizon off the court.
