Air Jordans: How Michael Jordan became a Nike endorser

Image source: sneakernews.com

Throughout the mid-90s, Air Jodans were all the rave of basketball players and fans thanks to the spectacular performance of its main endorser, Michael Jordan. Perhaps it can even be considered as the beginning of high profile NBA players getting shoes designed exclusively for them. In reality, Jordan almost didn’t become a Nike endorser. In a way, the deal between Nike and Jordan changed sports apparel marketing forever. According to aspiring sports agent Peter Max, there’s a great story behind Michael Jordan, the Air Jordans, and Nike’s partnership with his royal airness.


Originally, Jordan wanted to make an endorsement deal with Adidas. Unfortunately, the company was experiencing internal difficulties at the time. The only deal Adidas could offer Jordan was the same endorsement deal they had with other superstars which only amounted to $100,000. It also irked Jordan that the company was not doing anything new in terms of branding.

Image source: sneakernews.com

Fortunately, Nike, a rising star in sports apparel at the time, was able to setup a meeting with Jordan to present their concepts. They sat down with Nike’s designers, and executives handling the basketball division of the company. What caught Jordan’s attention was Nike’s offer to tailor their new shoes to Jordan.

Jordan was offered half a million dollars a year for five years, an amount unheard of at the time. There were certain stipulations though on Jordan’s part. He had to accomplish one of three things to keep his contract. He had to become Rookie of the Year, become an NBA All Star player, and score 20 points per game in his first three years. According to Peter Max, the stipulation became a form of motivation for Jordan to push himself and his game further.

Peter Max moved to California to pursue a sports management degree. He likes to write blogs on sports but with a different take on the subject. To know more about Peter, visit this website.