In the 1990s, Nike was struggling to compete in the sportswear business. The likes of Adidas and Converse were lightyears ahead of them. But that all changed thanks to one player, Michael Jordan.
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MJ was the key to Nike’s success in the 90s. He singlehandedly turned the company’s fortunes around. All because one executive decided to give him $2 million.
That’s right, Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike executive, was handed $2 million to give a young star back in 1984. He insisted on investing in His Airness.
Sonny Vaccaro decided to hand Michael Jordan $2 million ahead of other young stars like Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon
In 1984, Nike wanted to make a statement by signing a young NBA athlete to a deal. A couple of names were being thrown around, including the likes of Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon.
However, one Nike executive adamantly suggested they give all the money to Michael Jordan. As revealed in Roland Lazenby’s book Michael Jordan: The Life, Sonny Vaccaro insisted on giving everything to MJ.
“The corporate executives granted a 2 million dollars budget to include some young talents, for example, Charles Barkley…The idea to spread the budget among a series of young players, during the 1984 draft, had its logic. ‘Don’t do it!’ said Vaccaro to the managers. ‘Give everything to that kid. Give everything to Jordan.’ “
A game-changing suggestion by Vaccaro. One he even bet his salary on, and boy, was he right. Nike and Jordan have owned the sneaker game ever since.
Jordan nearly ditched a meeting with Nike, but his mother forced him to attend
He may be the face of the Jordan brand, but there was a point when Michael Jordan was not interested in signing with Nike. To the point where he didn’t want to travel to Oregon for a meeting. However, his mother, Deloris made it clear he would go, and being the good son he is, he obliged.
Nike sure is lucky that Deloris Jordan is a strict mother. Who knows what would have happened if Michael wasn’t forced into that plane?
