It didn’t help that original IX was released during Michael’s first retirement. It didn’t help that the Retro was released during Michael’s short stint with the Wizards. But perhaps what summarized the fate of the IX in the sneaker hobby was the Nike commercial for the Air Force Max back in ’93.
Sitting along the side of a pool was a retired Mike – chillin’ and relaxin’ in the sun with Charles Barkley. The two friends and nemesis were probably reminiscing of the recently completed NBA Finals in which the Jordan’s Bulls defeated Barkleys’ Suns for the Championship. Then the question popped up: “Which player had the better shoes?” Mike proudly kicked up his Air Jordan IX for the television audience to admire, as if to say: “My kicks need no introduction.” But Charles barked right back: “Mine has a STRAP!”
And for the first time in their careers, Chuck had Mike beat. There was no response. Sir Charles had the Air Force Max, featuring Air Max bubble cushioning and external metal-mesh strap on a shoe that probably out-did the IX in every category imaginable in a basketball shoe. The fans loved it too. Although it carried a higher price tag, the AFM quickly sold out in stores while the IX sat on the shelves. For the first time since the release of the Air Jordan line, the mystic was gone. There has been another model that’s better. It signified the end of an era in our books. The Jordan Era* in kicks history was over and paved the way for The Golden Era* – a time where no one model line would dominate the entire industry. New models, materials, technologies and design concepts appeared and promoted by new players. No, MJ was not forgotten. It just so happened the industry finally learned to live without its main man.
It’s hard to fault Tinker’s design for the failure of the IX. While it was a drastic change from the previous Air Jordan products, it was also the same simple and clean design concepts that laid the foundations for the Jordan X and eventually the ever-so-popular Jordan XI. One reason the shoe failed to sell is because MJ never wore the OG IX in an NBA game and the lack of exposure is what killed the shoe’s image. The same theory applied to the Air Jordan X since that shoe also sold poorly until Mike said “I’m Back”.
However, the main cause for the IX’s failures can be attributed to the colorways Nike decided to release. For some reason beyond normal comprehension, Nike preferred to have the IX look like a pair of military boots. They released the ill-advised Black/Olive/Red colorway that not a single brave soul would wear on the basketball court. Furthermore, that same unsightly colorway was re-released AGAIN as if the first time was not enough of a torture. In doing so, they failed to retro the White/Powder-Blue as well as a White/Varsity-Red version (shown on page 1) that were made available to NBA players. Those colors would’ve sold out instantly but instead consumers and collectors alike are dealt with a product line that just didn’t make sense. In fact, the only reason the Olive IX’s even sold at all is because they could be custom color-dyed to an all-black model. Wouldn’t it have been much easier if Nike simply released an all black colorway to begin with?
A quick glance at the hobby will show that the IX has totally slipped under the radar screen. It is currently the only Air Jordan Retro model that did not sell well and heavily discounted at both retail and after-market levels. Since only the White/Black/Red used the OG colors, there has not been a lot of interest from collectors to acquire much of the Retro + colors. Even the infamous Cool-Grey concept from the XI’s didn’t work out too well on the IX – now that’s really telling you something. The IX lows pulled out a bling bling white chrome colorway AKA the IV white/chrome. Unfortunately, the IV was a quick-strike with limited quantities while the IX are available everywhere in a massive production run.
From ’93 to ’03, the fate of the IX has been sealed. Perhaps destiny has determined that the IX will always be an under-appreciated shoe. However, we do recommend collectors to be patient. You never know what else is in store for the IX. Often times, the sneakers that are slept on the most are also the same ones that rise the fastest in value. The IX may really test the patience of that theory but we would suggest that you keep your eyes on them in the near future. We think the IX has finally started to turn the corner as prices have bottomed out recently. It make sense to try the wait-and-hold approach. However, if you can find any non-olive IX’s on sale racks for $50 or less, then it is worth considering buying.
Air Jordan IX
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OVERALL RATING:
   6.87 / 10
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HIGHS: Simplistic approach to Jordan's signature line. Innovative approach to the soles - foreign language scripted in Japanese, Chinese and German. Cheap and easy to customize.
LOWS: Not a great performer on the court. Soles wear out too fast and shoes look bulky/boot-like.
VERDICT: One man's trash is another man's treasure. IX's unpopularity today may mean a good opportunity to buy low and sell high. |
Under the Radar
