Marbury’s Second Shoe Set To Break; Ben Wallace Joins In

Wallace To Have Own Signature Discount Sneaker At Steve & Barry’s

The April 1 launch of Knicks G Stephon Marbury’s Starbury II and Starbury Team basketball shoes will be supported by a new campaign themed “Game recognize game,” which will also include Bulls C Ben Wallace, according to Barry Janoff of BRANDWEEK. Marbury and Wallace, a former AND 1 endorser who will get his own signature line with Steve & Barry’s, will appear in print ads that will break in the May issues of basketball magazines such as Dime and Slam, while Marbury will also appear with a skateboarder and musician in ads in other publications. The launch will also be highlighted by an event at Steve & Barry’s Manhattan Mall store, the company’s only N.Y. location. Buses throughout the five boroughs with Steve & Barry’s/Starbury signage will “offer customers free transport back to Manhattan Mall.” Marbury “will be on one of the buses, and will be at the store for an autograph session and to oversee giveaways, including a $1,000 Starbury wardrobe” (BRANDWEEK, 3/26 issue). ABC’s “20/20” on Friday profiled the Starbury One. Marbury, who said he asked for no upfront money in the deal, added, “(I make money) on how well they do.” ABC’s John Stossel said Steve & Barry’s “sold out two months inventory in just three days” (“20/20,” ABC, 3/23).

NADER: Consumer advocate Ralph Nader in a letter posted on LeagueOfFans.org credited Marbury for “challeng[ing] the entire basketball sneaker industry” with his low-priced shoes, but he also wrote it is “likely [the shoes] are manufactured under sweatshop factory conditions.” Steve & Barry’s President Andy Todd said that the company “does not use sweatshops.” The letter also addressed Cavaliers F LeBron James on Nike’s alleged use of sweatshops in third-world countries in an “attempt to get him to use his influence to ‘stand up for the people who make the products you endorse’” (NEWSDAY, 3/24).