Michael Jordan is always associated with the Chicago Bulls, but he has just as strong an association with Nike. Off the court, Nike provided a way for him to become a billionaire, and in turn, the company could never have reached those heights without him.
Michael Jordan didn’t even want to sign with Nike initially, and the recently released movie, Air, shows the roles played by his mother, Deloris, and executive Sonny Vaccaro in making it happen. Vaccaro has spoken a lot about Jordan and Nike in interviews since, and in the latest one, he made a big claim.
“Michael Jordan saved the company that now is the biggest it can be,’ Vaccaro said. “Nike is big in the industry, in the world, there’s no question about the superiority of Nike today. Michael Jordan did that. No Michael Jordan… I don’t know if there’s a Nike today. They would’ve been another Reebok or another Puma.”
Sonny Vaccaro on Michael Jordan saving Nike:
"Michael Jordan saved the company. There's no question about the superiority of Nike today..but Michael Jordan did that. No Michael Jordan, no Nike today. They would've been another Reebok"
Nike didnt make The GOAT.The GOAT made Nike pic.twitter.com/Pm2gSRf1cb
— BossHogg (@6Hogg6) April 10, 2023
Since the year his relationship with Nike began, Michael Jordan proved just how special and different he was from any other player or personality. The estimates for how his shoes would sell looked laughable compared to the actual sales numbers, and his popularity only grew from there. It certainly isn’t an exaggeration to say that Nike became what it did, thanks to Jordan.
Michael Jordan Helped Other NBA Stars Like Charles Barkley Make Money From Nike As Well
The success story of Michael Jordan and Nike cannot be understated, what the two achieved together was nothing short of historic. And while it made Nike a global brand and Michael Jordan a billionaire with his brand, Jordan also ensured that the stars around him from that era were able to make money off of it. Charles Barkley revealed the Nike advice from Jordan that helped him make nearly $30 million.
“He said, ‘I was looking at your contract and you are making $3 million. Tell Nike you want one million and the rest in stock options.’ It is a good idea if they (Nike) will be great. I actually made probably 10 times the amount of money.”
Michael Jordan believed that the company would become massive, which is why he was able to offer that advice to Barkley. And he was a visionary because he was right on that front. Nike and Jordan might be the greatest partnership of its kind in the history of sports and business.
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