John Kim 
On Sunday, February 2nd, 2014, the NFL will hold the long-awaited Super Bowl XLVIII at Metlife Stadium – home of the New York Giants and Jets. The sporting event , which is already one of the most anticipated games in all of American sports, comes with a noticeable change as the cold winter temperatures of the Tri-state area will potentially play a major role in the outcome of the game. Of course Nike, being the official apparel and on-field outfitter of the National Football League, has come prepared for the big event and the wild card factor that will be played by the weather, and today the Nike Silver Speed Symposium in New York City offered a select group of media a first-hand look at what’s to come as we lead up to Super Bowl XLVIII.
Kicking off the event was a presentation by Michael Johnson – the American track and field legend that has had a longstanding relationship with the Beaverton brand. Soon after, the Vapor Carbon cleat was introduced with design directors Shane Kohatsu and Ken Link offering up some in-depth insight on the latest innovations in the sport of American football. What followed were one-on-one interviews with two notable Nike athletes – Super Bowl XLVII champion Ray Rice, and the NFL’s leading rusher of this current season Lesean McCoy. For more, check out this in-depth visual recap of all that was seen at the Nike Silver Speed Symposium.
Michael Johnson’s skills on the track have proved to be valuable to Nike’s development of on-field cleats, and it was during this portion of the event that Johnson revealed how his gold shoes came about. The original sample of his cleats, which featured just six spikes compared to the conventional eleven, were colored in chrome/dark grey. He noted that they would look silver from the stands, so he immediately knew it had to be gold.
Nike design director Shane Kohatsu introduced the Vapor Carbon cleat and the 3D Printing process that went into the design of the shoe.
Here is an example of a 3D-printed shell; this web of material serves a functional purpose in that it reduces weight without compromising rigidity.
3D-printing allowed Nike designers to realize any idea they had. This sample features cleat spikes that mimic sharks teeth.
The Nike Silver Speed Collection is on display. Featured in this exhibit is the Pro Combat Hyperwarm Max Shield Hoodie, the Vapor Shield Glove, and more.
An official Vince Lombardi trophy stands at the center of the showcase.
Philadelphia Eagles runningback and the league’s top rusher Lesean McCoy joined in to talk about cold-weather performance. The Philly star, who is accustomed to playing in cold conditions, said “no runningback should ever wear sleeves.”
Super Bowl XLVII Champion Ray Rice is excited about the Super Bowl coming to his home region. Originally from New Rochelle in Long Island, NY, Rice says he is as much of a fan as he is a pro, and will be tuning in to the game.
A closer look at the Super Bowl XLVII ring. It’s that big.
The Nike Vapor Carbon Cleat Super Bowl Edition will debut on-field at Super Bowl XLVIII. It is available for pre-order right now at Nike.com.
The Nike Free Trainer 7.0 Super Bowl Edition will be worn on the sidelines. It is available for purchase now on Nike.com.
The Nike Free Trainer 3.0 Super Bowl Edition is available now on Nike.com.
Part of the lifestyle collection of the Silver Speed Collection is the all-new Nike Lunar Trainer 180 SC. This special edition colorway will release on January 27th.
The Nike LunarTerra Arktos boot is also part of the lifestyle set of the Silver Speed Collection. It will release on January 19th.
The Nike Aeroloft Summit Jacket Super Bowl Edition features 800 grams of down with ample vents for breathability.
