The Origin of Air Jordan is rooted in the partnership between Nike and basketball legend Michael Jeffrey Jordan. In 1984, a deal has been signed led to the birth of shoe. Prior to this, Converse was the official shoe of the NBA. Adidas was the leader of sports shoe and Nike was known for its track shoes. Nike had just come out with this new technology for their running shoes called air soles, and obviously Michael played in the air, so it’s said, ‘I got it, we’re going to call it Air Jordan. Nike offered him a great deal, Jordan mother (Deloris) said to him “You’re going to go listen, you may not like it, but you’re going to go listen”. Jordan father said he’d be a fool if not to take it. So, Jordan did.
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He was born in Brooklyn, New York on February 17, 1963, in. He grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina. Jordan helped the Bulls house to win six NBA championships during the 1990s. In addition to his six NBA championships and five regular-season MVP awards, Jordan’s list of accolades includes 14 NBA All-Star appearances, 10 All-NBA First Team designations, and 10 NBA scoring titles.
The relationship between Jordan and Nike is the led to the new film, Air. A sports executive, signed Jordan to his shoe contract with Nike, in an unprecedented deal that would change the face of sports marketing and equity is involvement. Jordan, at first didn’t like the color of Nike’s first design of the shoe. While other companies saw Jordan as a figure for promoting shoe lines, Nike took Jordan’s criticism into account to make him “a standalone” star and give him a signature shoe line.
On October 26, 1984, Michael Jordan signed US$2.5 million deal for 5 years with Nike, three times more than any other deal in the National Basketball Association at the time. Nike released the Air Jordan sneaker line in April 1985 with the goal of making $3 million in the first three years but all expectations exceeded and ended up earning $126 million in one year. Nike also took advantage of this marketing opportunity with the Air Jordan I “Banned” advertisement as failed to adhere the NBA stated that the shoes must be 51% white colour in a shoe and inline with the shoes that the rest of the team was wearing. Failure to follow this policy resulted in a $5,000 fine per game. Nike designed the Air Jordan based on the Chicago Bulls’ red and black team colors with only 23% white, which violated the NBA’s policy. Nike agreed to pay all fine, controversy helped in publicity around the shoe. Michael Jordan and Nike introduced Jordan Brand on September 9, 1997. The brand collaborated with various popular artist, built a sustainable business model- Air Jordan shoes and apparel line.
The first Air Jordan sneaker, the Air Jordan 1 mid, was released in 1985. Designed by Peter Moore, it was revolutionary both in terms of technology and aesthetics. Over the years, the Air Jordan line expanded, with each new release generating significant hype and demand. The partnership was not just about sneakers; it extended to a broader range of athletic apparel, including clothing and accessories. The Air Jordan brand became a cultural phenomenon, transcending the world of sports and establishing itself as a symbol of style and status.