An Inside Look at the 2010 Nike Football Media Summit

Nike invited nearly 100 media members from across the globe to Dallas, TX for its 2010 Nike Football Media Summit. Nike organized the Summit in an effort to unveil its new, innovative technology, apparel, products and footwear designed specifically for football players competing in the professional, collegiate, and high school sports realm.

Nike held the event at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium, an iconic venue that certainly played hand-in-hand with the innovative products and technology Nike had available to unveil to athletes and sports fans across the world. The Football Media Summit was hosted by Desmond Howard and featured five current NFL athletes – Clay Matthews, Ndamukong Suh, Stephen Jackson, Felix Jones, and Dwayne Bowe - on hand to directly speak to how Nike apparel takes their performance to the next level.  .

Partnership Activation was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend the tremendous event and provide you with an in-depth look at the new technologies and uniforms Nike was showcasing on display. Check out a gallery of photos from the entire event here.

The primary focus of the 2010 Nike Football Media Summit centered around four specific sectors of football where Nike is leveraging insights and new technologies to completely revolutionize the game. Armed with 30+ years of football insight, research, and first-hand feedback from athletes, Nike has developed all the tools necessary to meet the needs of the best athletes in the game.

Attendees (media, guests, and brand personnel) were also treated to a number of additional perks, including:

• Nike ID Customization Stand – Attendees were given an opportunity to experience Nike ID firsthand by customizing a pair of shoes and a jacket that they will receive free in the mail in a few weeks
• Tour of the New Cowboys Stadium – Attendees were given a complete hour-long tour of the new Cowboys Stadium, which included the Cowboys locker room, Cheerleader locker room, press box, the Legends suite, the post-game press conference area, the Miller Lite Club, the cheap(er) seats, and various in-stadium destinations (Jerry Jones’ suite was the only restricted area)
• Field Access – Attendees were provided the opportunity to roam the field at the new Cowboys Stadium and take pictures at the 50-yard line and along the sidelines
• Player Access – After the morning session, media members were given 30-45 minutes to speak specifically with each of the five (5) NFL athletes and ask particular questions about their performance, apparel, and other off-the-field interests
• Introduction to the Nike Boom! Mobile App – Nike featured representatives on-hand to educate guests about the new Nike Boom! Mobile app that it introduced for athletes at all levels. The free smartphone app allows athletes to create custom music playlists that can be embedded with motivational messages from Nike’s roster of prominent athletes – the app is pretty amazing
• An Elaborate Lunch in the Miller Lite Club at Field Level of Cowboys Stadium
• (1) Night Stay at the Ritz Carlton in Dallas

NEW PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGIES

The 2010 Nike Football Media Summit focused primarily on showcasing four (4) of its new, game-changing elements:

The Nike Air Zoom Alpha Talon Cleat

Nike Football united its most innovative technologies to create the Nike Air Zoom Alpha Talon Cleat, a premium cleat that will soon be highly demanded athletes playing football at all levels. Dwayne Bowe noted during the Summit that the cleat is the best piece of footwear he has ever suited up in.

The Nike Air Zoom Alpha Talon cleat features a collection of new attributes that cannot be found on any other cleats in the marketplace, including:

• Flywire - Provides speed without compromising support
• Talons – Provides adaptive traction
• Deflex Padding – Provides more lightweight ankle protection
• Kurim – Provides structure around the ankle
• Phylon with Nike Zoom Air – Provides cushioning while staying low to the ground
• Z-bar – Provides ankle support and locks the foot to the footbed
• Sidewall Shovels – Provides on-edge traction
• Sharkteeth Traction – Provides additional traction when backpedaling
• Ultra-durable Kevlar laces

The 2011 Nike Pro Combat Uniform

Nike unveiled its new 2011 Nike Pro Combat Uniform, which it considers to be the ultimate in lightweight, breathable protection for superior speed. The new uniform, featuring several products that were designed as a completely integrated system of dress, includes:

• A New and Improved Nike Combat Base Layer 
• Flywire Collar Support
• Chainmail Mesh 
• Deflex Padding
• An Adjustable Carbon Fiber Plate 
• A Vapor Elite Football
• Vapor Carbon Gloves 

Exclusive Editions of the Nike Pro Combat Uniform

Nike unveiled four (4) exclusive editions of the Nike Pro Combat Uniforms specifically designed for the Florida, Oregon, TCU, and Boise State football teams. The event featured plenty of excitement around the new jerseys the Oregon Ducks will be sporting in the BCS National Championship game against Auburn as well as the uniforms that TCU will be donning against Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

Nike SPARQ Training

Nike featured a live demonstration of its SPARQ training on the field at the new Cowboys Stadium. Nike invited a local Dallas high school football team (and its band) out to the event to showcase how it leverages its SPARQ training program to improve the speed, agility, and performance of 25,000+ high school athletes across the nation.

Check out some video of all the action below:

Introduction Ceremonies, Hosted by Desmond Howard

Introduction of the Nike Air Zoom Alpha Talon Football Cleat (w/ NFL guest appearances)

Introduction of the 2011 Bowl Jerseys for Oregon (BCS), Florida, TCU, and Boise State

Introduction of the 2011 Nike Pro Combat Jerseys

Walking Onto the Field at Cowboys Stadium (Kickoff of the 2010 Nike Football Media Summit)

Ndamukong Suh Discusses His Top 5 iPad Apps

Dwayne Bowe Talks Fantasy Football

A Tour of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Locker Room

Nike SPARQ Training On-Field at Cowboys Stadium

Look for more pictures and video to come from the 2010 Nike Football Media Summit. Thanks again to everyone at Nike who made the event truly special for everyone involved.