Be like Mike: Air Jordan version 23
BEAVERTON, Ore. (AP) - January 8, 2008 No other basketball shoe has changed the face of business,
athletics and marketing like the Air Jordan. This month, Nike
releases the 23rd edition, and it is expected to be just as
venerated as its predecessors.
The sleek design and link to Michael Jordan's jersey number make
it a touchstone in the line. It's also Nike's first basketball shoe
designed under its "Considered" ethos, which aims to reduce waste
and use environmentally friendly materials wherever possible.
The Air Jordan XX3 will be released in three hyped-up rounds
from January to February, starting with a limited edition to be
sent to only 23 retailers to be sold for $230 and concluding with
the national launch at $185.
There had been talk at Nike about retiring the shoe at No. 23,
because of his iconic jersey number. But company officials won't
say whether this will be the last of the line. Neither will Jordan.
"You'll just have to wait and see," Jordan said in an e-mail
to The Associated Press, responding to questions about the upcoming
release.
Before launching the first shoe in 1985, Nike had just signed
Jordan for $2.5 million over five years. Nike won't say what
Jordan's current contract with the company is worth.
Jordan's deal with Nike opened the door for sneaker
manufacturers to chase after athletes, signing them up -sometimes
just out of high school- for multimillion-dollar contracts in hopes
of being able to cash in on the next superstar. It sent sneaker
prices to new heights, which has since generated a backlash against
selling pricey shoes to basketball-loving kids.
"The Air Jordan franchise created the most coveted basketball
footwear in the world and changed the basketball landscape
forever," said Nike Brand President Charlie Denson.
Unlike most basketball shoes to date, which were often white and
utilitarian, the Air Jordan was a shock of black and red. It was
initially banned by the NBA for not conforming with other players'
shoes.
Jordan continued to wear them and was fined $5,000 a game, which
Nike paid.
"Nobody expected the mass hysteria created by its release,"
Jordan, who has been a part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats since
2006, said in his e-mail to The AP.
A new edition was launched each year, and release dates had to
be moved to the weekends to keep kids from skipping school to get a
pair.
The frenzy got dangerous. People were mugged and even killed for
the shoes.
The Air Jordans helped spawn a subculture of collectors, who
line up at stores to buy the shoe's latest edition.
Jordan said he never expected that the shoe would become an
icon.
"Like every kid growing up, I dreamed of making winning shots
at the buzzer and I was fortunate to live out that dream, but never
in my wildest dreams did I ever entertain the idea of the success
of the Air Jordan franchise," he said.
The Air Jordans moved basketball shoes from true high-tops or
low-tops to a middle range and used unheard of styles, such as
patent leather toes and elephant print.
As Jordan's success grew on the courts, so did Nike's in the
shoe industry.
People from the streets to the suburbs were wearing $100-plus
basketball shoes, which was unheard of at the time.
That price is the norm today, but it has launched a backlash,
such as the partnership between New York Knicks player Stephon
Marbury and the Steve & Barry's store chain to sell basketball
shoes for $14.98 - a direct stab at pricey sneakers like Air
Jordans.
At that time, the Air Jordan captured a mix of design,
marketing, athleticism and player charisma that hadn't been seen
before in the industry - everyone wanted to "Be Like Mike."
"Athletes had been endorsing products for years prior to
this," said Tinker Hatfield, Nike's Vice President of Innovation
Design and Special Projects.
"But they were just signing their name to the shoe. I think
there was a very understandable difference...Michael's personality
and even the changes in the game and inspiration from other walks
of life were all sort of being designed into this product and that
made it more interesting."
Jordan and Hatfield work together on the design and function on
many of the Air Jordan shoes. Jordan has final say on design
matters.
Air Jordan was the lightning in the bottle that every company
hopes for.
Advertising images of Jordan soaring across the sky were
ubiquitous. Spike Lee could be heard hollering "It's gotta be the
shoes" on television. And Jordan's outstretched arms with the
swoosh nearby adorned walls across the country.
Nike quickly moved from a running company and newcomer to the
basketball category to the market leader. Some industry estimates
put Nike's current share of the basketball shoe market at about 85
percent. Far behind are Adidas and Reebok.
The idea of adding such unusual style to a product or so closely
aligning with a personality was novel at the time, but it paid off.
Other companies tried to follow suit but it was like trying to
come up with the next Harry Potter or iPhone for basketball.
The relationship completely changed the idea of sports
marketing. Companies now make athlete sponsorships the centerpiece
of their business, spending millions signing them and designing
product lines and marketing platforms around them.
Jordan's original deal seems like a pittance compared to
multimillion-dollar contracts inked these days, such as Nike's $90
million agreement with LeBron James.
"The beginning of the Jordan era marked a new and more
sophisticated approach to leveraging an athlete," said Paul
Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center
at the University of Oregon.
Like any bet, athletic companies take their risks - some pay
off, like Tiger Woods or LeBron James. But some don't, a la Michael
Vick. Nike terminated its contract with Vick last August after his
plea agreement on dogfighting charges.
Jordan was spun off into its own division in 1997, a move that
some high up in Nike questioned when Jordan retired.
But the business is a key component, with new players signing on
under the brand. Nike has spun that Jordan swagger into performance
and luxury apparel for men and woman.
The Air Jordan remains the pinnacle piece for shoe collectors.
The original Air Jordan 1 can sell for thousands of dollars,
depending on various factors.
Jordan said: "It blows my mind that even after five years
removed from the game the shoe would be stronger than ever and I
would still be greeted by fans as if I had just won a championship
all over again."