Nike has been running the game for years but lately it been slipping.
Sales been weak and people started talking like the brand lost its edge. Now Elliott Hill is back from retirement to run the show and he is trying to flip the script.
He says he wants to get Nike back to what made it real and that means connecting with the streets and the skateboarders who made the culture what it is today, especially with the success of the Janoski.
Hill pulled up at Nike’s Oregon headquarters and laid it out straight with CNBC reporter Sara Eisen.
Hill says the brand can win again by focusing on what people actually want. They are dropping shoes and gear that work right, look fresh, and connect with the people who wear them every day.
Nike wants to show it’s not just about hype but about making products that matter in real life.
The plan goes beyond just one category.
Hill is breaking the company into different sections so decisions move faster and Nike can keep up with brands that been creeping up, like On and Hoka.
He is also locking in wholesale partners and making sure the new products turn heads and sell. The focus is on the areas that really count because if Nike gets them right it will set the tone for the whole brand.
It is not all easy.
There is extra inventory sitting around, tariffs hitting costs, and some markets like China slowing down. Hill knows it will take work and patience, but he says getting back to basics and putting effort into the categories that matter will pay off. Nike has a chance to show it still understands what’s real and why people care.
For anyone who follows the culture or just watches the streets, the next few months are gonna be interesting. Nike has a shot to get its edge back, and if Hill keeps it real with the people who matter, the streets might just show it love again.