Air Jordan 12

Branden Truong, Reporter

Air Jordan 12 The Master were released on February 26, 2016 on the Nike website as well as many others. But, The Masters were released in Dimond Footlocker on March 1, 2016 for a retail of $190.

If you were planning on getting the shoe but did not know how, Anthony Alvirez a employee at Dimond Footlocker, explains how you would have been able to get the shoe. “About a week before the release we do a raffle, you put your name down, your number and your shoe size. We draw names and if you get picked we call you,” said Alvirez.

The raffling system was included as a way of making things fair for consumers, who want to get a shoe release, like The Master 12’s.

Lesther Sudaria a customer who entered in the raffle had some thoughts on the whole process. “The raffling system makes things fair and how they have one raffle and shoe per person is great. I think its purpose is to reduce conflict, but in some ways it can produce conflict. But for the most part it does reduce conflict,” said Sudaria.

Sahil Patel the assistant manager of Dimond Footlocker, who has been working there for about three and a half years, is a sneaker head, who owns about 400-500 pairs of shoes, including many Air Jordan retros. His favorite pair, the Air Jordan 11 Concord Mid, which he has two pairs of, which are rare shoes to find now a days.

In fact, there was a rumored death, of 18-year-old, Tyreek Amir Jacobs, in 2011, over Air Jordan 11 Concord shoes, which was confirmed by CNBC’s Darren Rovell, as confirmed by Bleacher Report.

Patel tells us about what goes down during release days at Dimond Footlocker. “Depends on what shoe is being released, it is very hectic, very stressful, but we did have the Air Jordan Master 12’s release. It was pretty smooth, but we did have some bumps. But when it comes to Christmas time, the Jordan Christmas releases, its pretty hectic, everybody wants the shoes, but with supply and demand shoes get very limited,” said Patel.  

Many people who attempt to get shoe releases at Footlocker and fail, do not always leave upset. Patel tells us that he tries to do everything in his power to help customers reach a satisfaction, knowing that he did everything possible to try and assist them buy the shoe they were looking for.

If you were ever wondering, where you go to find upcoming shoe releases, go on Footlocker.com and click on launch calendar. Or you can go into your local Footlocker store and ask them what shoes are up and coming.