Threat of Substitute
The substitution for the athletic footwear is low, as there are little alternatives available to choose from. The other substitutes available in the footwear industry are boots, flip-flops, and sandals. But these cannot be used in place of sports shoes, in any sporty event. For instance, a soccer player would not wear boots or flip flops to play soccer. Therefore, there are no real substitutes for athletic footwear. And similarly there are lesser substitutes available for athletic garments.