You’ve heard of the standout basketball shoe Air Jordan and the inspiration behind it. The shoe’s logo is a homage to the iconic basketballer himself, Michael Jordan, and his famous jump. So does Jordan own the Jordan brand?
The answer to that is no, he doesn’t. However, you can’t mention the brand without mentioning the popular basketballer. How does this work? You can find out by reading this article in length.
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About Jordan Brand
Before the Jordan brand came to be, there was the ultimate collaboration between multinational sports company, Nike, and upcoming basketball legend, Michael Jordan.
One can say this collaboration is cosmic because it solidified the Nike brand in the basketball world.
Looking to get an ambassadorship at the start of his NBA career, Michael Jordan signed a deal with Nike instead of Adidas due to their whooping offer of making a sneaker in his name. And with Nike designer, Peter C. Moore, that was able to come true.
The outcome of that collaboration is the birth of the Air Jordan 1, a classic basketball shoe that uses Nike Air technology to create balance and comfort for the wearer. Michael first wore it in late 1984, then the shoe was introduced to the public in 1985.
The brand’s logo, the Jumpman, can be credited to Michael’s iconic pose for a magazine photoshoot as part of the publicity for the Summer Olympics 1984 happening in Los Angeles. This pose was created by Michael again but on the latest pair of Air Jordan 1.
This began the long collaboration between Nike and Michael Jordan.
The Jordan brand itself started to become a name on its own and not a branch of Nike in the 90s. Then Nike let the brand be its own standalone brand, although it still managed the manufacturing and selling of brand wears.
Nonetheless, Michael Jordan and his impressive career still stand as a backbone for the brand, which is why people regard him as the owner.
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Does Jordan own the Jordan brand?
No, he doesn’t. Michael is not the owner or manufacturer of Jordan and its sportswear. Although he does get a percentage cut in the revenue and partakes in designing and marketing, he does not own the Jordan brand or its flagship product, Air Jordan.
At present, Jordan has made over a billion dollars with Nike, thanks to this great deal. That’s not a bad deal at all as it changed both the brand and the star player’s trajectory.
Additionally, the Jordan shoes have become a choice of wear for professional basketballers and people in athleisure fashion and style.
The brand has over 30 models and releases of the Air Jordan shoes, with other shoe styles. It is one of the biggest subsidiaries of the Nike sports brand.
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FAQs
What percentage does Jordan own of the Jordan brand?
This is not specified. However, he does own a stock option with Nike. Also, he gets a percentage per dollar made by the brand.
Does Michael Jordan own the Jumpman logo?
No, he doesn’t. Michael Jordan does not own the Jumpman logo, Nike does. However, his silhouette was used in creating the iconic logo.
Did Michael Jordan design Air Jordan?
He did not. The first Air Jordan made for him in 1984 was done by Nike designer, Peter C. Moore, and other designers subsequently. However, Jordan does partake in the designing and planning stage of the Jordan sneakers.
Conclusion
You can’t think of Jordan without thinking of Air Jordan. These separate names have built on their trust for decades and also built a large fanbase in the sneaker world.
A sneaker buff knows Nike has all right to the Jordan brand, but most people new to the basketball and sneaker world may not.
So, Michael Jordan does not own Jordan or any products manufactured by the brand. However, he does get a big revenue cut from sales of the shoe, Air Jordan.
Thanks for reading.
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