It didn’t take long for the No Fun League to crack down on all the buzz created when adidas outfitted a few of its players in exclusive Yeezy cleats for their Week 1 games. Von Miller set the internet ablaze when he posted pictures of his all-white Yeezy 750 Boost cleats before the Broncos took on the Panthers in last week’s opening game. The Yeezy Boost is the famed sneaker-turned-cleat that was, of course, designed by Kanye West for the brand, and often resales for upwards of $2,000. Miller didn’t actually wear them during the game, but did warm up in the one-of-a-kind kicks to much fanfare.
Houston Texans wideout DeAndre Hopkins one-upped Miller by wearing his Yeezy 350 Boost cleats during the Texans’ win over the Bears in Houston on Sunday. Hopkins rocked the cleats and gashed the Bears for a sensational touchdown, but if the NFL has its way, that’ll be the last time Pro Bowler takes the field in the multi-colored shoes.
That’s because the league has effectively banned the cleats, fining Hopkins and any other player who wears them $6,000. The league justified this by citing a rule that says cleats must have a “solid base color.” Hopkins has a base salary of $1 million this season and had a one-day holdout at the start of training camp in an attempt to jump start contract extension talks with the organization. As such, he told reporters that the only way he’d wear them again is “if Kanye wants to pay the fine.”
Well, DeAndre may be in luck, because according to Nick DePaula of The Vertical, adidas has a plan in place to do just that.
https://twitter.com/NickDePaula/status/776560125540577285
Really, the NFL may be doing adidas a favor. The $6,000 fine is paltry compared to what they will probably bank once the 350 and 750 hit retailers this fall for $250 and $300 respectively. The “ban” of the cleats gives them the same type of bump in credibility and prestige that the Jordan 1 received in 1985 when it was banned by the NBA, and with that sneaker being re-released again this month for the third time in five years, it’s hard to argue with that business model.
