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Need more proof that kicks are happening? First, get your head out of the ground, and then read up on Nike's company memo, which bans stores from pre-selling shoes or allowing reservations. Wait. Does that mean—? Could it be? No more midnight sneaker releases? Yes it do.
Apparently, the main beef with the early (late night) release is that the lines outside Nike, Footlocker, Dick's Sporting Goods, etc. clog sidewalk arteries late in the night. But they've also been known to play host to massive riots that can take around 100 police to break up (looking at you, $220 Nike Air Foamposite basketball shoe-induced riot in Orlando last February). As the Wall Street Journal points out, crowds prone to violence are sort of a Nike shoe launch thing, but social media and the high price that kicks can get on eBay have upped the stakes and the number of people waiting in more recent years.
It's unlikely that the ban will eliminate crazy lines and camp-outs altogether—it's tough to imagine real sneaker-die-hards/eBay-shoe-flippers will say to themselves, "Excellent, I will have a square breakfast and arrive at the store promptly at 8 am to make my purchase"—but maybe the early morning release will mellow out the lines a bit. Have you ever started a fight at 6 in the morning? It takes much more effort to throw a punch than at 11pm. Um, trust us?
· Lebron X Release Likely Won't Happen At Midnight Thanks To New Nike Rules [HuffPo]
· All Nike Coverage [Racked]