By Roy L. Pickering Jr.
The reign of the all-time king of endorsements has come to an end. Michael Jordan is turning his back on $43 million-a-year, because he astutely figures that being the man behind the company will be even more lucrative than being strictly the face in front of it.
It was a no brainer for Nike, Gatorade and other sports related companies to latch onto the star that is Michael Jordan. Consumers could almost reasonably conclude that in order to lead a team to six NBA championships while topping the league in scoring at will, it just had to be the shoes, or perhaps the beverage. As for buyers who knew better, they understood that while wearing a number 23 Chicago Bulls jersey probably wouldn’t improve their game much, it would at least make them look more impressive while putting up air balls.
Michael long ago graduated from celebrated athlete to superstar celebrity, keeping his image virtually spotless over the years. There has been little cause for concern that he would sully his reputation with a drug bust, paternity suit, or disorderly conduct on or off the court. He has done nothing to embarrass himself and those whom he represents. Endorsement by Jordan means a connection to purity, to perfection. Everybody who can afford him wants in on that.
As Mike neared basketball retirement, his expanding endorsement career disregarded boundaries. Corporate America banked on the notion that people were not content merely to wish they could soar above the rim like Jordan. They would want to dial long distance, eat Big Macs, wear the same underwear, and smell like him too. This assumption paid off. In 1998, Fortune magazine estimated Michael Jordan’s impact on the economy to be a whopping $10 billion.
Lately, there has been a noticeable shift in Jordan’s business strategy. Partnering with fellow recently retired sports legends John Elway and Wayne Gretzky, MVP.com has been launched. And for his newest toy, Mike has purchased a piece of an NBA franchise, the Washington Wizards. He has fulfilled yet another dream of the layperson, going from employee to owner.
The search for a worthy successor to Jordan will cast a spotlight on various NBA players in the next few years, Vince Carter being the current frontrunner. No one is likely to make the cut right away, however. Jordan’s shoes are rather large ones to fill. Individual honors must be routinely earned, opponents regularly dominated, championships consistently won. And this has to be accomplished with immeasurable charm and style.
The copyright of the article The Art of Being Michael Jordan in Sports Issues is owned by . Permission to republish The Art of Being Michael Jordan in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Roy Pickering's Sports Issues topic, please visit the Discussions page.