the internet is the main culprit more than anything imo.
pre-mid 2000's collecting sneakers used to be an underground thing mainly between blacks and hispanics in the hood. now that collecting sneakers has kind of went "mainstream" because of the internet and now that there are tons of sneaker websites, fashion websites that feature sneakers, and places like tumblr. you got white kids, asians, middle eastern peole, etc from the suburbs all in to this shyt.
it's just flat out way too many people into this shyt now compared to back then. even general releases are selling out.
i never saw kids like this in high school when i was fukkin with sneakers.