Pizza Hut Is Auctioning Off The Final Four Pie Tops II Sneakers
Pizza Hut recently released its second generation of pizza-ordering high-top sneakers called Pie Tops II, adding the ability to pause live TV to highlight the chain's sponsorship of the NCAA's March Madness. Only 50 pairs of the cool kicks — which were designed by "Shoe Surgeon" Dominic Chambrone and are available in red and wheat — were offered for purchase through fashion retailer HBX, and the entire stock sold out in under 10 seconds.
But sneakerheads, listen up. Just in time for college basketball's Final Four tournament, Pizza Hut is auctioning off the four remaining pairs of Pie Tops on eBay. The bidding began March 26 at 11:59 p.m. and runs through April 2. Sizes available include men's 7, 10, 11, and 12. In addition to receiving the shoes, each winner will also be awarded with free Pizza Hut for a year.
At the time of this writing, bidding prices for the remaining Pie Tops range from $770 to $1,075. While those prices are expected to climb, 100 percent of proceeds from final sales will go directly to The Literacy Project, an initiative working to eliminate illiteracy in grade-school children.
"This year's tournament has once again featured many unforgettable moments, and as fans gather together to watch the Final Four, Pizza Hut wanted to offer them one 'final' chance to swoop up a pair of our Pie Tops II," Pizza Hut chief marketing officer Zipporah Allen said in a release. "More importantly it was the perfect time to tie the tournament into The Literacy Project and our long-standing commitment to enabling literacy."
Not only is Pizza Hut the official pizza of the NCAA, it recently also became the official sponsor of the NFL. The league recently broke up with Papa John's after a falling out with founder and ex-CEO John Schnatter. The 56-year-old blamed poor pizza sales on "Take a Knee" demonstrations and even landed the chain in an awkward position when one ultraconservative publication declared Papa John's the "official pizza of the alt-right."
For more cheesy eats and where to find the best pie, check out the best pizza in every state.