15 Jul 3N2 Delivers Batman Cleats for MLB All-Star Game
3N2 has designed a Batman-themed cleat for Pittsburgh Pirate’s A.J. Burnett to wear at the 2015 All-Star Game. The pitcher was named to the National League All-Star team for the first time in his 17-year career
The 38-year-old Burnett is enjoying arguably the best season of his career and is one of the more intriguing storylines to come out of the matchup of the Big League’s best to be played July 14th at Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park.
“Got to be the shoes,” joked 3N2 CEO Sean Murphy. “It’s an honor that is long overdue for A.J. and we couldn’t be happier for him. At this point in his career, it’s an amazing accomplishment, but we’ve believed in him for a very long time.”
Burnett has endorsed 3N2 – a sporting goods company specializing in high-performance baseball and softball gear – for over four years, and often works hand in hand with the company to design custom apparel and footwear that reflect his personal interests.
“Self expression is important to me,” says Burnett. “When I’m on the mound I want there to be no mistaking who I am and what I’m out there to do. 3N2 has given me the freedom to fuse my personality with my game.”
It is no secret that Burnett is a big fan of Batman, with supporters of the Pirates often waving Batman flags when he takes the diamond. On his custom cleat’s front toe and back heel, an “AJ” logo makes use of Burnett’s initials and jersey number to form a bat like shape. Other design elements of the shoe include the skyline of Pittsburgh and a reference to Burnett’s “Follow Me” tattoo – a song he used to sing to his children at night.
3N2 leveraged an electroplate process when creating the cleat to seamlessly meld the outsole and midsole together in metallic yellow, and through the use of sublimation technology, the shoe’s upper captures subtleties of AJ’s story through detailed printing.
In a serendipitous twist, actor Michael Keaton – who breathed new life into the Batman franchise via his portrayal of the storied super hero on the big screen in 1989 – is widely known as one of the most avid and visible fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
