he threat of new entrants to the profit potential of athletic shoes manufacturers is minimized through high entry barriers. As an extremely large capital investment is required for new firms to open athletic shoes factories and conduct research and design to create a popular athletic shoes. On the other hand, access to athletic shoes distribution channels is a moderate to high barrier to entry. If the firm is a start-up firm, it is extremely difficult to get shelf space at major shoes retailers. At last, many athletic shoes customers are brand loyal and are unwilling to try new athletic shoes.