Inside Foot Locker’s Immersive Sneaker Experience for NBA All-Star Weekend 2025 in San Francisco
NBA All-Star 2025 is taking place next month in San Francisco and Foot Locker is looking to make a splash at the event.
The athletic retail giant is hosting a multibrand activation from Feb. 13-16 during NBA All-Star Weekend. The two-story experience will be located at 150 Powell St. in the city’s Union Square neighborhood, and will include sneaker drops, NBA player appearances, interactive games and prizes, product customization and more.
“NBA All-Star provides Foot Locker with a prominent platform to showcase our leadership position in basketball and sneaker culture,” Foot Locker Inc. senior vice president and chief customer officer Kim Waldmann told FN. “Our experience will amplify our brand positioning, reinforce our cultural relevance and attract new customers while deepening loyalty among existing sneakerheads and basketball enthusiasts.”
Leading brands in the basketball category — including Nike, Jordan Brand, Adidas, Puma and Converse — as well as others will have distinct areas within the activation. Aside from the interactive elements of the space, consumers can expect product drops and exclusive releases, including the Nike Kobe 6 “ASW,” the Air Jordan 12 “Flu Game,” the Adidas AE 1 Mid in an exclusive new colorway and Puma’s LaMelo Ball x Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection, among others.
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“Foot Locker is known as the ‘Heart of Sneakers,’ reflecting the energy and passion our stripers bring to help consumers discover new brands and products. The ‘Heart of Sneakers’ is the thread you’ll see throughout the experience, as that is who we are,” Waldmann explained. “We will amplify each brand within our NBA All-Star experience by creating distinct areas where the consumer can get immersed in that particular brand’s storytelling.”
She continued, “The space will also include tailored activations, like an Adidas polygraph test bringing the ‘No Lie’ ad to life, a Puma Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lair with interactive games and customization, and more, offering individual brand expression while aligning with Foot Locker’s mission to unlock the inner sneakerhead in everyone.”
What’s more, The Clinic — the retailer’s partnership with Nike and Jordan Brand that celebrates the performance and culture of basketball — will return. Foot Locker stated this will include a LED court that will light up with dynamic content, daily basketball programming and skills and drills challenges with athletes.
“Nike and Jordan Brand have been incredible partners as we continue to celebrate and connect with basketball culture. Our partnership through The Clinic — our multiyear program with Nike and Jordan Brand — continues to evolve in exciting ways as we work together to resonate with sneaker enthusiasts on and off the court,” Waldmann said.
In terms of the experience, Nike’s first floor area will feature a “surprise and delight” locker giveaway, as well as a championship locker photo moment, countdown clocks for key product drops and more. And Jordan Brand’s “Unbannable Air” experience will include a vertical jump challenge and interactive graffiti wall.
Other brand activations will include an Adidas polygraph test, which is a nod to its recent “No Lie” ad, as well as Puma’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lair with interactive games and customization, a Chuck Taylor-focused customization bar with Converse, and more.
Athlete appearances are expected to include Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum, Trae Young and LaMelo Ball, as well as “special guest appearances” from “top Nike talent.”
There will also be several reasons for local FLX Rewards members to visit.
“We are running multiple sweepstakes for FLX Rewards members to enter for a chance to attend NBA events and games, win customized merchandise from key NBA talent, prizes and additional exclusive giveaways. The integration of loyalty-driven initiatives and engaging activations aims to attract new sign-ups and deepen engagement with existing members,” Waldmann said.
Aside from the activation space, Foot Locker confirmed it will be an associate partner of the 2025 NBA HBCU Classic Presented by AT&T during NBA All-Star Weekend. The game will feature Morehouse College and Tuskegee University, and as part of this partnership, the Foot Locker Foundation will donate $25,000 to each school.
The activation and retail space will be open Feb. 13-15 from 10 a.m. PT to 10 p.m. PT and on Feb. 16 from 10 a.m. PT to 7 p.m. PT.
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.
