Source: Memphis Parkour now operates within Recess. Visit Recess901.com to register for classes and see our class schedule. http://memphisparkour.com
I met a guy named Jonathon McCarver years ago when I was launching ARCH. He was putting together a Facebook group for Memphis Parkour and I was considering trying to make a shoe for Parkour. We talked a few times and over the years we lost touch. Today I checked my seldom checked Facebook feed and saw an upcoming event that stated the Memphis Parkour group had a new home inside of a gym named Recess located in Midtown Memphis. What does any of this have to do with sneakers and this site?
I wrote a post a few days ago on the shifting demographics of sneaker culture. In it I explained that sneaker culture is changing. I didn’t address kids/teens, but I’ve talked about them in a number of articles on the site. Teens and kids are no longer looking to the NFL and NBA for heroes. Kids are beginning to look for alternative athletics outlets. If you ask a kid what sport they would rather do, American Ninja Warrior or Basketball the answer would probably be 7 out of 10 for Ninja Warrior. In other words kids are into Crossfit and Parkour more than they are into traditional sports. This has shaped the shoe buying platform as basketball sales have slowed down and the shoes aren’t being worn for style.
Memphis Parkour has an exciting 2 days this weekend for the city to check out. This would be an excellent opportunity for a brand like K-Swiss who actually makes one of the better Parkour shoes in the business. The problem is K-Swiss like many brands has placed their energy into an influencer as opposed to finding real connections with the buying community. Parkour is growing in influence as American Ninja Warrior becomes woven into the fabric of the U.S. and the world. ANW has even spawned Netflix versions of the show like The Beast. Ninja Warriors are being sponsored by brands; both Megan Martin and Jessie Graff have apparel deals and a popular Ninja Warrior, Flip Rodriguez, is doing speaking engagements. There are Ninja Warrior styled gyms popping up all over the country.
In this movement is an opportunity for a brand to build a Parkour specific shoe. The big brands aren’t interested which means that there is an opportunity there. I’d love to see a Rockdeep sneaker for the sport. Check out the video above. It’s a couple of years old. Then use the links in the source to visit Recess and Memphis Parkour.
Upcoming Event:
| Recess Jam | 5/19/2018 | Memphis, TN | Jam | 2 |
- Link
- Host
Memphis Parkour
- Price (low)
15
- Price (High)
15
- Description
MPK’s first invitational event at our new Recess Location.
