We all recognize that Michael Jordan established Nike as the world’s leading shoe manufacturer. But not everyone is aware that the sole explanation for why he selected Nike was because Adidas did not believe he was worth it.
What Did Michael Jordan Actually Say?
Jordan himself revealed this in an interview 14 years ago. MJ stated,
“You know what, the thing is, I never wore Nike shoes until I signed the Nike contract. All throughout college, we wore Converse, and up to that point, my favorite shoe was Adidas shoes. At that time, when everybody was trying to recruit me about what shoes to wear, I was pro-Adidas the whole time. And once I went through the presentation with Nike, they really made a great effort of having my input on the shoe, any shoes that I wanted to wear.”
Michael Jordan continued,
“But then I was very loyal. I went back to Adidas and said look; this is the Nike contract; if you come anywhere close, I’ll sign with you guys. Anywhere close to what they were putting on the table. But at that time, Adidas was a European brand that really didn’t make a strong push for the United States, and they didn’t feel that it was worth it, which in hindsight, was perfect for me because it made my decision much easier, and I ended up with Nike. From that point on, the relationship just started to blossom.”
Michael Jordan’s Company Is Valued At Billions Of Dollars
In retrospect, Michael Jordan’s initial contract with Nike seems insignificant. For five years, the Oregon-based shoe firm paid MJ a fixed fee of $500,000 every year. Nike then predicted that the Air Jordan 1 will make $3 million over the next four years.
Instead, the original Air Jordan iteration grossed more than $130 million in its first year on the market. According to the Neon Money Club, Nike generated $19 billion from MJ’s Jordan Brand last February, and the Jumpman brand made roughly $3 million in sales in only five hours.
Meanwhile, Jordan earns ‘just’ 5% of his existing contract with Jordan Brand. However, sales have skyrocketed, and Mike is said to have profited $1.3 billion from his Nike contracts. That is more money than any athlete has ever made on a shoe contract. Jordan is worth $2 billion, according to the most recent Forbes list.
Instead, the original Air Jordan iteration grossed more than $130 million in its first year on the market. According to the Neon Money Club, Nike generated $19 billion from MJ’s Jordan Brand last February, and the Jumpman brand made roughly $3 million in sales in only five hours.
Meanwhile, Jordan earns ‘just’ 5% of his existing contract with Jordan Brand. However, sales have skyrocketed, and Mike is said to have profited $1.3 billion from his Nike contracts. That is more money than any athlete has ever made on a shoe contract. Jordan is worth $2 billion, according to the most recent Forbes list.
Was Adidas Concerned That MJ Was ‘Too Short?’
A former Adidas employee alleged in a 2015 Wall Street Journal story that the German-based athletic clothing and footwear giant passed on Jordan because he was ‘too short.’ According to that assertion, Adidas’ biggest blunder was favoring considerably bigger players and preferring to support centers.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the captain of the Los Angeles Lakers at the time, was Adidas’ most renowned shoe sponsor, both literally and metaphorically. Abdul-Jabbar was one of the most dominant big players in NBA history. At 7-2, he was unquestionably a taller player than MJ, but as Jordan would demonstrate, height isn’t everything when it comes to selling shoes.
Adidas Changes Its Criterion For NBA Shoe Endorsers
Adidas would eventually change its criterion for NBA shoe endorsers. Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady were Adidas ambassadors in the 1990s. Shorter players like Derrick Rose and James Harden, on the other hand, are among the brand’s biggest endorsers. While Adidas has changed its approach to competing in the market, Nike has lagged far behind since obtaining that game-changing partnership in 1984.
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