Under Armour's Cross Trainer Gains Early Nod Over Nike's Sparq

Dick's Sporting Goods "didn't buy a single Nike Sparq shoe but bought big time" into Under Armour's (UA) cross trainer prototypes, thus deciding that UA is "going to be the winner in this battle" of the companies' cross trainers, according to Darren Rovell of CNBC.com. UA's cross training shoe launches May 3. Rovell wrote in the “cross training war between Nike and [UA], I gave the early edge to Nike,” but following the launch of Nike's Sparq trainer last month, "I’ve now officially changed my mind.” SportsOneSource Analyst Matt Powell, who is “usually singing Nike’s praises,” wrote in an e-mail, “The Nike Sparq performance trainer launch could only be termed as 'disappointing so far.' Nike performing training sales actually declined for March. One theory is that kids will not be forced into wearing a sport specific shoe right now. Also, the timing may have been wrong for sport specific training footwear, with March being in the middle of spring sports season. Finally, a recession is probably the wrong time to ask Mom and Dad to buy a second shoe” (CNBC.com, 4/15).