Antonio Ferguson with the prototype for his Obama shoe. When the shoe is officially released, a 44—named for the 44th president—will be on back of the shoe under the NA logo.
Add “basketball shoe” to the growing list of products being marketed with Barack Obama associations. The 44, named after the 44th president, is being launched as the marquee shoe for a new sports brand called Naturally Athletic Sports.
“The product speaks for itself,” says founder and chief executive Antonio Ferguson. “Just like Nike brought out Air Force 1’s in 1984, we’re introducing the company with one of the best shoes in the marketplace.”
Ferguson took a chance in August when he presented the shoe to the public at Magic, a marketing showcase for the fashion industry in Las Vegas. At the time, Barack Obama was just the Democratic nominee for president. Luckily for Ferguson, history has proven to be on his side, which means he hasn’t had to market 72-year-old John McCain’s viability as a basketball player.
Ferguson, an African-American and the sole financier of Naturally Athletic, claims to be the first minority owner of a major sports brand. He says that the Washington-based company has adopted Obama’s message of change.
“We’re trying to change the game in the way people think about retailing,” he says. “We’re putting the product in the hands of the consumer.”
Rather than launching from stores like Champs or Sports Authority, the 44 will first be sold through the company’s Web sites—44shoe.com and Naturallyathletic.com—on April 1. The sites, which he expects to be running in the next two weeks, will sell the first 100,000 sneakers at $44.09—more than $20 less than the expected retail price. Ferguson also wants his company to address social concerns such as childhood obesity. That’s why for every pair of the first 100,000 sold, Naturally Athletic will donate a pair to disadvantaged youth. The offer will last for 45 days after the shoe’s launch.
Aside from the 44, Naturally Athletic also has athletic apparel and another 50 pairs of sneakers in the works. Ferguson is exploring marketing the brand through breakfast cereals and in television shows. He’s also in talks with the Verizon Center to get some of the naming rights at Wizards games.
“We’re looking to make a big splash,” he says.
With a shoe tied to Barack Obama, anything is possible.
Obama Basketball Shoe Makes Its Debut
Add “basketball shoe” to the growing list of products being marketed with Barack Obama associations. The 44, named after the 44th president, is being launched as the marquee shoe for a new sports brand called Naturally Athletic Sports.
“The product speaks for itself,” says founder and chief executive Antonio Ferguson. “Just like Nike brought out Air Force 1’s in 1984, we’re introducing the company with one of the best shoes in the marketplace.”
Ferguson took a chance in August when he presented the shoe to the public at Magic, a marketing showcase for the fashion industry in Las Vegas. At the time, Barack Obama was just the Democratic nominee for president. Luckily for Ferguson, history has proven to be on his side, which means he hasn’t had to market 72-year-old John McCain’s viability as a basketball player.
Ferguson, an African-American and the sole financier of Naturally Athletic, claims to be the first minority owner of a major sports brand. He says that the Washington-based company has adopted Obama’s message of change.
“We’re trying to change the game in the way people think about retailing,” he says. “We’re putting the product in the hands of the consumer.”
Rather than launching from stores like Champs or Sports Authority, the 44 will first be sold through the company’s Web sites—44shoe.com and Naturallyathletic.com—on April 1. The sites, which he expects to be running in the next two weeks, will sell the first 100,000 sneakers at $44.09—more than $20 less than the expected retail price. Ferguson also wants his company to address social concerns such as childhood obesity. That’s why for every pair of the first 100,000 sold, Naturally Athletic will donate a pair to disadvantaged youth. The offer will last for 45 days after the shoe’s launch.
Aside from the 44, Naturally Athletic also has athletic apparel and another 50 pairs of sneakers in the works. Ferguson is exploring marketing the brand through breakfast cereals and in television shows. He’s also in talks with the Verizon Center to get some of the naming rights at Wizards games.
“We’re looking to make a big splash,” he says.
With a shoe tied to Barack Obama, anything is possible.
>> All Washingtonian.com inauguration coverage
More>> Capital Comment Blog | News & Politics | Society Photos
Most Popular in News & Politics
Please Stop Joking That JD Vance Killed the Pope
Kristi Noem Bag-Theft Mystery Endures, “Senate Twink” Plans Pigeon Sanctuary, and We’ve Got Tips for Doing Yoga in Museums
Meet the Winners of the 2025 Washington Women in Journalism Awards
Elon Musk Got in a Shouting Match at the White House, a Teen Was Stabbed in Fairfax, and Pete Hegseth Decided the Pentagon Needed a Makeup Studio
Does Eleanor Holmes Norton Still Have What It Takes to Fight for DC?
Washingtonian Magazine
May Issue: 52 Perfect Saturdays
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
An Unusual DC Novel Turns Out to Have an Interesting Explanation
A Timeline of Dan Snyder’s Unsold Mansion
Jim Acosta Talks About Life After CNN
Alexandria Construction Uncovers Part of a Historic Canal
More from News & Politics
This Year’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival Is All About Youth Culture
Trump Messed Up DC’s Credit Rating, Pete Hegseth Got a “Dirty” Line Installed at the Pentagon, and Jeff Bezos Doesn’t Need Us Anymore
Restaurateurs, Politicos, Journalists: Photos of the Best Parties Around DC
Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman Sued Again Over “Predator DC” Series
Elon Musk Got in a Shouting Match at the White House, a Teen Was Stabbed in Fairfax, and Pete Hegseth Decided the Pentagon Needed a Makeup Studio
Steven Spielberg’s Portrait Is Coming to the Smithsonian’s Permanent Collection
Oh No, Elon Musk Will Cut Back His Time in DC; Pentagon Chaos Continues; and Purcellville’s Vice-Mayor Is Under Investigation
Please Stop Joking That JD Vance Killed the Pope