When the brand Michael Jordan shoes came into being, its model Air Jordan basketball shoe became quite popular. In fact, because of its demand, most of the people in the society fought over them. However, Michael Jordan never thought even in his wildest dreams that his brand could gain immense popularity. There was no such product of Jordan shoes, which does not gain popularity amongst the people.
The origination story of the brand
The Air Jordan basketball shoe was the product of the brand, Nike. In the year 1984, Michael Jordan signed a product endorsement deal with Nike. However, he was not the only athlete to endorse the Air Jordan basketball shoe, and there were other athletes like Roy Jones and Carmelo Anthony. Before Michael Jordan signed this deal, the product was almost struggling to be in the race. Jordan’s manager finalized this deal; otherwise, it would have never been possible because Jordan mostly preferred Converse or Adidas shoes over any other brand.
The endorsement deal
The endorsement deal for Air Jordan I shoes was initially of $2.5 million along with royalties and added benefits for five years. It was the first-ever shoe with a winged basketball logo for $65. Thus, it was an obvious ‘golden opportunity’ for all.
Later, the National Basketball Association (NBA) banned Michael Jordan from wearing the black and red Air Jordan shoes. The association also laid a fine of $5000 for every game. However, Nike went on to ensure the progress of his valuable publicity by paying all the penalties and made him wear those shoes in every match. It attracted the mass population towards a similar pair of shoes, ensuring high sales of the Nike brand.
Why the NBA laid a fine on Jordan’s shoes?
The first version of Air Jordon is known to be the banned version. The NBA banned it for maintaining the uniform protocol of the basketball games. But the brand continued to pay the fine for the entire league to make out the shoes to look like a forbidden fruit. As the league came to an end, the pair of Air Jordan I had played its magic, and the product gained maximum popularity.
Michael Jordan’s role in redesigning of the shoes
Michael Jordan was not fascinated that the shoe was named after him; however, he played an active role in the process of enhancing and redesigning of the shoe. The third shoe of the series, Air Jordan III, was entirely according to Jordan’s suggestions. The comfort level of the shoe enhanced by using lighter material than before. It took no time for this series shoe to go off the shelf.
Later in the year 1997, Air Jordan became a sub-branding of Nike; now, there is no logo or sign of Nike on the Air Jordan shoes.
How did the popularity continue to increase?
Even though the Air Jordan series has enhanced over the years, but none of them disappointed the crowd. This way, both the brand name and the shoe have gained popularity and prosperity with time. Thirty-six years of the partnership of Nike and Michael Jordan have been glorious. Hopefully, it will remain the same forever!
