Michael Jordan Disney: Fact-Checking $120,000,000 Rumor Linking Bulls Legend With ESPN’s Parent Company

Michael Jordan is perhaps the most marketable team sport athlete of all time. After all, a multi-billion dollar sporting giant owes its success to him.

The way that Jordan Brand has raked in the moolah over the years for Michael has helped him become a billionaire. Worth over $2 billion today, Jordan became the first black majority owner of an NBA team in 2010.

He raked in over $250 million before taxes just off of the royalties he earned from Jordan Brand in 2022. His Airness is clearly not hurting for money, having made more than any active sportsperson last year.

However, a rumor began circulating that he flexed his financial muscle by turning down a $120 million offer from Disney.

Fact Check: Did Michael Jordan turn down a $120 million offer from Disney?

A satirical article by a well-known satire website called the Dunning-Kruger Times was the first to circulate this headline last month. According to the source article, Mike turned this offer down reportedly because Disney is ‘too woke’.

However, a cursory glance through the website reveals that it was all an elaborate satire designed to dupe unsuspecting browsers. Mike’s quoted spokesperson in the article – Joe Barron – is a fictional character.

The website itself advises readers not to take its headlines seriously. Despite this, Twitter users found it fit to circulate this absurd hit piece without verifying its truth.

Consequentially, ‘Michael Jordan Disney’ became a trending search query in the United States recently. People needed to be reassured that the American folk hero isn’t, in fact, against the ‘woke left’.

Jordan did actually turn down an offer worth $100 million once

In 1997, Jordan was approached by a sports marketing company in the United Arab Emirates called World Sports Group. They offered him $100 million to appear in a two-hour promotional event in Dubai. The event would have involved Jordan playing a game of basketball with local celebrities and interacting with fans.

At the time, Jordan was at the peak of his basketball career and was already making a substantial amount of money through endorsement deals and his salary from the Chicago Bulls. However, he was intrigued by the offer and decided to consider it.

Jordan’s agent, David Falk, negotiated with World Sports Group and they eventually agreed on the terms of the deal. However, when it came time to sign the contract, Jordan had a change of heart.

He reportedly told Falk that he didn’t feel comfortable taking that much money for such a short appearance. He also said he didn’t want to be seen as someone who was only interested in money.

Jordan’s decision to turn down the offer was seen as a testament to his integrity and his commitment to his fans. It also helped to cement his status as one of the most respected and beloved athletes in the world.