- Stephon Marbury played 13 years in the NBA and seven in the CBA
- Marbury didn’t like the prices of the big shoe brands, so he created his own shoe called Starbury
- Marbury sells his shoes for around $30
Stephon Marbury was a successful NBA player who found even greater success in the Chinese Basketball Association, also known as the CBA. Did you know this wasn’t the only area of unexpected success Marbury found?
While Nike, Jordan Brand, and Adidas were dominating the athletic shoe business, Marbury decided to challenge these companies by creating his own shoe brand and selling his shoes for much cheaper. This brand is rightfully called “Starbury”, after his nickname.
“I look at it as a mass play. I believe in the numbers. I think that what we’re doing is on the right path, so my margins don’t have to be as high as a Nike, Jordan, or LeBron shoe,” Marbury explained about the price of his shoes.
“They don’t necessarily have to be, and I’m still able to give the type of quality. The quality doesn’t really change that much. The name is what people are paying for. I could understand it, but when children are getting killed for Jordans, and nothing is really getting done or said or spoken about, that’s when I have a problem with it because it’s not just about basketball or shoes.
“People’s lives are in jeopardy because a pair of shoes. Brands are not conscious enough to put some type of understanding towards what it is that’s being done. It’s not only myself, but other people in other neighborhoods have issues and problems with that.”
The average price of a pair of the three big-name brand shoes are usually over $100. This can be too pricey for many families, especially those living in low-income areas.
Still, a person wants to wear good-looking shoes. This is where Marbury and his Starbury, Inc. have come in and changed the game when it comes to basketball shoes.
The Success Of Starbury, Inc.
Most people don’t want to buy a pair of shoes, especially basketball shoes, for $15. The reason behind this distaste is people believe a shoe that costs that cheap is cheaply made.
In 2006, when the first Starbury shoe was released, it cost $15. The original shoe released was called “The Starbury One” and it’s a shoe Marbury wore in the NBA.
If the shoe could withstand the wear and tear of being worn in an NBA game, then the quality can’t be too bad. Marbury averaged 16.4 points and 5.4 assists per game in 2006-07 while wearing his signature shoe.
This is certainly not bad production by a player wearing a “cheap” shoe. Consumer Reports tested the shoes in 2007, and even though they only gave the Starbury shoes a “6 out of 10” for playing basketball in, they did say the shoes are comfortable to wear off the court.
The company continued to put out shoes until 2009, when Steve & Barry’s, the company that made the Starbury’s, filed for bankruptcy. Marbury brought the shoes back in 2016 to continue his goal of challenging the bigger shoe brands.
“I’m from the housing projects, where people can’t afford $150 shoes,” Marbury told ESPN. “I was one of those kids who wished to have shoes at that price, but my parents couldn’t buy shoes at that price. Putting food on the table was more important than owning a pair of pricey shoes.
“Now that [I’ve] lived in China for so many years, I’ve learned that shoes that cost $150 don’t cost that much to make, which drives me even more to continue building my brand globally for more people to have an opportunity to buy shoes at an affordable price. My brand is for the people who can’t afford and those in need.”
The Starbury shoe saw success in its initial release, reportedly selling 1 million pairs in the first six months of its release. As of today, Starbury Inc. has recorded $4.6 million in revenue.
The prices of Starbury shoes have gone up but still average about $30 per pair, which is much less than a pair of Jordans. So, if you’re searching for a good-looking basketball shoe that is made with excellent quality but cheap, you know where to look.
Starbury shoes are where it’s at, and if everyone would give a cheaper brand a chance, maybe the prices of the top brands would also fall. This would be a win for the consumer.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
