Back in 1984, when Michael Jordan was just stepping onto the NBA court as a rookie, he had sneaker giants like Adidas, Converse, and Nike all vying for his signature. Nike, though, played it smart—they didn’t just pitch him a deal, they hit him with a highlight reel of his best dunks, all set to "Jump (For My Love)" by the Pointer Sisters. But Jordan wasn’t feeling the shoe’s colorway and called them out. Unlike the others, Nike didn’t just brush off his critique; they leaned in, aiming to make him the star of his own signature line.
Fast forward to October 26, 1984—Jordan signs a five-year, $2.5 million deal with Nike, triple what anyone else was getting in the NBA. By April 1985, the Air Jordan line dropped, and while Nike hoped to hit $3 million in three years, they raked in $126 million in just one. The NBA wasn’t thrilled about the kicks, though—policy said shoes had to be 51% white, but Nike’s bold red-and-black Air Jordan I’s broke the rules, and the NBA fined Jordan $5,000 per game. Nike didn’t just pay the fines—they turned it into marketing gold, launching the “Banned” campaign that told fans, “The NBA can’t keep you from wearing them.”
That rebellious streak paid off big time, and 50,000 pairs flew off the shelves, racking up $150 million in sales. By 1997, Jordan and Nike upped the game with Jordan Brand, which has since become a cultural phenomenon, collaborating with top artists and pulling in $5.1 billion in 2022 alone. And yes, MJ still gets his cut—a cool $150–256 million just last year. Talk about a slam dunk deal!
A Little Story About Jordan, The Brand
