“Michael Jordan is making records even after he’s retired!!”: A pair of 1984 Nike’s worn in-game by the Bulls legend get auctioned for a whooping $1.5 Million

Bulls legend Michael Jordan revolutionized the sneaker game for athletes, proves yet again that he’s still ruling the industry

Air Jordan is unmistakably the most popular personal line of sports merchandise in the world. Unmistakable in the sense that every sports enthusiast from any age group or gender knows and likes Jordans and the fact that it is the brand of one the best athletes in the world.

Popular in the sense that everyone would love to rock a pair of Jordans if they were affordable. Air Jordan is also one of the costliest sports merchandise in the market and rightfully so.

Also Read: “I was so sure everybody would just think of me as a jerk!”: Michael Jordan vents about his shocking feelings on the Last Dance being a successful series

Michael signed with Nike before the start of his rookie year in 1984, by the end of 1985, Air Jordan had generated more than $100 million in revenue. And that is what is at least “His Airness” makes a year off of the Jordan Brand. The Chicago Bulls legend last played basketball in 2003, but still, there is no other basketball player or any athlete for that matter who could compete with his brand. Jordan Brand on its own has been the third most popular shoe brand among NBA players behind only Nike and Adidas, for a decade or so.

A pair of game-worn Michael Jordan Nike Air Ship auctioned for a near $1.5 million

Jordan broke the internet again recently, when a pair worn by the legend in the fifth game of his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, was sold for a mammoth $1,472,000. These were size 13 Nike Air Ships designed by Bruce Kilgore.

It easily beat the previous auction record held by, obviously, a pair of Nike Air Jordans, which sold for $615,000 in August 2020 at a Christie’s auction.

In 2013, Jordan branded shoes accounted for $2.5 billion in sales, up from $2.0 billion the previous year. The next four players accounted for just $565 million in shoe sales in 2013, led by LeBron James with $300 million in sales. Jordan is believed to take in about $100 million from his deal with Nike and the Jordan Brand subsidiary.

Even after coming to the biggest market, Los Angeles, at the center of everything in the States, LeBron has not overtaken Jordan in shoe sales. Not even after winning a title for the Lakers after 10 years. Thanks to “the last dance” and the timing of its release.

Also read: “How you let a 40 year old Michael Jordan hit a game winner on you?!”: Paul Pierce went at Shawn Marion for giving up the game winning shot to the aging Wizards superstar

Michael Jordan has made much more money from Air Jordan alone than top athletes make throughout their careers. Air Jordan has made him a billionaire and Nike, a brand that is far away from any of its competitors.