We began our journey to the world of athletic footwear by presenting the 11 most expensive tennis shoes in the world. On this article we will list the 11 most popular brands of sport shoes and examine the history of this popular modern footwear. The journey of athletic shoes begins in the 1870’s with people on vacation. Later, gentlemen of the higher economic classes in Britain and the United States started wearing them while playing tennis — the rubber sole offered better grip, resulting in fewer injuries and better performance. Soon ‘plimsolls’ as they were called in Britain, or ‘sneakers’ in the United States, made their way to 1924 Paris Olympics. In addition, tennis shoes were adopted by prisons and the military, a factor that had a huge impact on mass production of athletic footwear. After the 1950’s, school dress codes became less strict, and sales boomed as more and more children, adolescents, and adults started wearing sneakers to perform their everyday activities in a more comfortable fashion.
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Nowadays tennis shoes are extremely popular, and other types of footwear have even ‘borrowed’ elements of athletic shoe innovation to make casual and professional footwear more comfortable. There was even a short-lived merger of athletic shoe behemoth Nike and professional shoe brand Cole Haan. Taboos about ‘proper’ dress have moved aside and athletic footwear is often worn to special events like music awards, the Oscars, fashion shows, and even weddings! You don’t have to be a professional athlete to wear sneakers. Many of the shoes on the list of top sellers are worn by major style icons around the world, making them safe to wear with any casual outfit.
The order of the list is based on the comparison of three different cross-time, cross-region researches on athletic footwear sales between 2008 and 2014 in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Europe, Turkey, China, Singapore, South Korea and Japan. That time period covers the global economic crisis, but the outcome shows that athletic footwear companies not only didn’t record losses — they’ve increased revenues!
11. K-Swiss
K-Swiss was founded in Los Angeles in 1966 by Art and Ernie Brunner. The firm mainly designs leather tennis shoes whose stripe may be customized on demand.
10. Fila
Fila was established in Italy in 1911, becoming quite popular in Europe and particularly in Italy and Greece. In 2003 the global company was closed down, but the brand is still in the market because the Korean branch of Fila was a separate company.
9. Asics
Asics was established in Japan in 1949. Its is very popular among professional runners as well as more casual joggers. They are known especially for their lightweight ergonomic design.
8. Li-Ning
Founded in China in 1990, Li-Ning specializes in manufacturing athletic footwear destined for basketball. Li Ning is not very popular outside China, but the enormous Chinese market alone generates sales that reach 8th place on our list.
7. New Balance
New Balance was established in 1906 in Boston, Massachusetts. You can order New Balance shoes in completely custom colors. They’re especially popular in Turkey, where almost every household has at least one pair of New Balance shoes. The company avoids naming its models so the brand name is always front and center.
6. Reebok
Founded in 1895 in England, Reebok is one of the oldest of the 11 most popular brands of athletic shoes. Reebok is particularly popular amongst professionals and ordinary people who jog or play basketball or football.
5. Converse
Both a legendary NBA shoe and a must-have accessory for any rock star, Converse has been around since 1908. In 2003, Converse was bought out by Nike for more than $300 million.
4. Puma
Puma was founded in 1948 in Germany by Rudolf Dassler, a member of the Nazi party. He and brother Adolf ran a family shoe company until the brothers could no longer get along, and while Rudolf split off to form Puma, Adolf established Adidas. Pumas are worn now by professional and amateur athletes and as everyday casual shoes. Puma manufactures both elite athletic and casual footwear, but the company is struggling: for the past two years the company has recorded losses. Puma made $1.58 billion from product sales in 2014.
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3. Under Armour
Under Armour was established in Maryland in 1996 but entered the footwear market just 9 years ago. Loved by runners and tennis players, Under Armour footwear is believed to be the next Nike by some investors. In 2014 the company made a total revenue of $3.08 billion.
2. Adidas
Adidas was founded in 1948 in Germany by Adolf Dassler after the same rift that created Puma. Adidas designs shoes for a wide range of activities like football, rugby, basketball, and professional skateboarding, but its three stripes and casual ‘shell toe’ sneaker are iconic. The company has been recording losses similar to Puma’s. Total revenues in 2014 were $8.1 billion.
1. Nike
Nike was founded in the United States in 1978, although the company existed prior under a different brand name. Nike is the goddess of victory in Greek mythology. Nike is the biggest spender when it comes to marketing and sponsorships, and that investment paid off when Nike remained the top seller of athletic footwear and increased revenues even during the global recession. Unlike many competitors in the market, Nike continues to grow. In 2014 Nike recorded revenues of $16.21 billion, and in 2015 Nike has already made profits of around $18 billion.
Which brand is your favorite among the 11 most popular brands of sport shoes? Which brand do you love that didn’t make the list?
