Nike And Foot Locker Back In Running

Some of Nike's hottest sneakers, including the Jordan 19 and Shox, are once again lining the shelves of Foot Locker stores this back-to-school season after a hiatus that stretched for more than a year and marked a bitter chapter in the relationship between the two athletic shoe giants.

Nike left Foot Locker out in the cold during last year's back-to-school shopping season when it cut off the supply of marquee sneakers like Air Jordans and Air Force Ones that sell for upward of USD100.

But Nike suffered, too, in the dispute, which centered on Foot Locker's pricing and promotional strategy. Though Nike upped its quotas to rival chains like Finish Line and Footaction, it never fully compensated for the loss of business with the massive Foot Locker chain, which operates 3,900 stores and is Nike's largest customer.

Nike and Foot Locker reached a tentative truce in November 2003, but it is only now that some of the most sought-after Nike sneakers are arriving in Foot Locker stores. In another sign that the two companies are once again collaborating, Nike and Foot Locker plan to release a joint marketing campaign today for the Air Max Shootout, a sneaker that is part of the Nike 20 Collection and available only at Foot Locker stores.