It's probably not much of a surprise that only a third of all basketball sneakers are purchased to play basketball. Still, some sneaker companies may be worried their sales could take a hit if the NBA loses the season to the lockout.
"The impact would be huge," Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD Group, told USA Today. "Out of sight, out of mind. If the players are not on the court, and the kids aren't thinking about them, they're not going out and getting their shoes."
Cohen estimates the industry could lose up to $500 million — or roughly 25 percent of its market — if the entire 2011-12 season is canceled.
Adidas, the official outfitter of the NBA, could be hit hardest, though how much it would be hurt is in dispute. Another industry analyst, Matt Powell of SportsOneSource, points out that sneaker sales were not badly hurt by the 1998-99 lockout and that Nike's Jordan brand has been strong despite Michael Jordan retiring for the last time in 2003.
