How ESPN’s ‘SportsCenter’ Inspired Adidas’ New Sneaker Collab

Adidas

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ESPN‘s SportsCenter debuted more than 40 years ago, with the premiere episode airing on September 7, 1979. First anchored by George Grande and Lee Leonard, the show has since launched a number of careers, with broadcasters like Greg Gumbel, Craig Kilborn, Robin Roberts and Keith Olbermann all owning much of their early television success to the prime-time sporting news program.

Still considered to be ESPN’s flagship show, SportsCenter is now inspiring a whole other industry with the launch of a new sneaker collaboration with Adidas. The Adidas Top Ten Hi ESPN Shoes take inspiration from the early days of SportsCenter, with retro colors, a pebbled leather upper and OG hi-top styling. The sneakers‘ name is a play on SportsCenter’s popular “Top Ten” segment, which features the best sporting highlights of the night.

Produced in limited edition, the Adidas x ESPN sneaker updates Adidas’ classic basketball sneaker that was worn by many of the players who made it into the original “Top Ten” segments back in 1979. In addition to the Seventies-inspired cream and black colorway, the original ESPN SportsCenter logo and a vintage-styled Top Ten logo appear on the tongue. Gold accents (shoelace tags) rest along the laces, depicting the words “Top Ten,” the year, 1979, and the Adidas trefoil logo. A hint of red pays homage to the iconic red ESPN lettering.

The commemorative sneaker is made with a genuine leather upper and rubber outsole. Adidas has made the ESPN shoe available in sizes 4 to 10, and the collaboration retails for $150 per pair. Each pair comes in a collectible ESPN-branded shoebox.

“Top Ten means sport,” reads a description on the Adidas website. “These shoes celebrate the legacy with retro style and signature details that look back to the beginning of both — the sneaker and the sports broadcasting titan.”

As with all limited-edition sneaker releases, this one is expected to sell out fast, so we recommend heading over to Adidas.com to pick up your Adidas Top Ten sneakers before quantities run out.

You can also watch SportsCenter and all of ESPN’s live and original programming right now on ESPN+. A monthly subscription is just $6.99 a month by signing up here.