FOOTWEAR NEWS’s Riley Jones noted Nike “came prepared” for MLB’s 21st Jackie Robinson Day, with a “special-edition sneaker,” one which quickly sold out from the brand’s online store. A “Jackie Robinson Day” Nike Cortez was released today on SNKRS for $100. The “Photon Dust/Black/Metallic Silver/Gym Red” colorway takes on the “appearance of a baseball with a light-colored nylon and suede upper.” A black leather Swoosh is “bordered by metallic silver, which also appears on a tongue badge bearing Robinson’s jersey number, 42.” While the “Jackie Robinson Day” Nike Cortez has sold out, the brand has other commemorative product available including T-shirts and jerseys (FOOTWEAR NEWS, 4/15).
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER: WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY’s Alexandra Pastore noted the USWNT Players Association has officially named jewelry brand Gorjana as its “official jewelry partner aiming to further a mission of empowering women at the intersection of sports and culture.” By partnering with Gorjana, the organization will “see pieces crafted to empower women.” The jewelry brand will also “work with individual players to ‘amplify the confidence, strength and impact of all U.S. Women’s National Team members and celebrate the legacy they are building together.’” The first players to participate in the collaboration are NWSL club Utah Royals F Ally Sentnor, Portland Thorns MF Sam Coffey and Angel City FC RB Gisele Thompson (WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 4/15).
UP IN SMOKE: On Long Island, Lee Meyer reported soon-to-be Basketball HOFer Carmelo Anthony will visit Strain Stars in Farmingdale this weekend to “launch his new cannabis brand on Long Island.” Anthony is set to visit the dispensary on Saturday to promote STAYME7O Cannabis -- which he launched in partnership with Oregon-based cannabis grower Jesce Horton and Creative Dir Brandon Drew Jordan Pierce. STAYME70 first hit dispensaries in Oregon last year. N.Y. is the brand’s “first expansion to the East Coast.” Strain Stars owner Yuvraj Singh said that having a celebrity brand choose to do an event at his business, which opened as Long Island’s first dispensary in 2023, is a “big accomplishment that could help lessen the stigma around cannabis.” A portion of proceeds from STAYME70 will support NuProject, a nonprofit based in Oregon that “provides funding and financial coaching to help diverse entrepreneurs build wealth through the legal cannabis industry” (NEWSDAY, 4/15).
