Michael Jordan's son won't wear Adidas shoes for UCF basketball

[PhoenixSupreme]

Link to ESPN article (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4585723)

Basically Central Florida was a contract with Adidas requiring it's athletes to wear their shoes. But Marcus Jordan, Michael Jordan's son, who is on the UCF basketball team want's to wear Air Nike's to honor his father.

What do you think of the situation?

[mcveyrl]

Link to ESPN article (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4585723)

Basically Central Florida was a contract with Adidas requiring it's athletes to wear their shoes. But Marcus Jordan, Michael Jordan's son, who is on the UCF basketball team want's to wear Air Nike's to honor his father.

What do you think of the situation?

I would think his father would want him to be a team player and blend in with the team. But I just remembered who his dad is and what his HOF speech looked like. :o

[biggie]

Would think his father would have a Nike contract with UCF in less than a month.

[appmaj]

Would think his father would have a Nike contract with UCF in less than a month.

I agree

[NHwildEcat]

Would think his father would have a Nike contract with UCF in less than a month.

Good point!

[gmoney55]

Link to ESPN article (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4585723)

Basically Central Florida was a contract with Adidas requiring it's athletes to wear their shoes. But Marcus Jordan, Michael Jordan's son, who is on the UCF basketball team want's to wear Air Nike's to honor his father.

What do you think of the situation?

It's nothing that a nice $1 or 2 million dollar donation for his Airness couldn't cure.

[mcveyrl]

Would think his father would have a Nike contract with UCF in less than a month.

Yea, but he'd have to buy out Adidas. Probably worth it though.

[jstate83]

Wearing shoes ain't about team.
Since the players are not getting a dime of the Adidas contract money with the school and coach, I feel a player should be able to wear any name brand they want.

If the name brand is not the shoe contracted to the school, then the player must buy them out of their pocket.
Simple.xwhistlex

[Dane96]

Jstate has got it right 100%. This is a shoe deal in which the school gets $3mm over a few years. The kid shouldnt be forced to wear it; coaches on the other hand SHOULD if that is the deal they sign.

I would suspect Addidas, if they are smart, lets Junior Airness where whatever the F they want...because in the end...one kid for four years...is worth a lot less of a headache than if his Airness gets Nike to cut a sweet ass deal whereby UCF backs out of its deal with Addidas (at probably a limited cost to the school in damages).

[mcveyrl]

Wearing shoes ain't about team.
Since the players are not getting a dime of the Adidas contract money with the school and coach, I feel a player should be able to wear any name brand they want.

If the name brand is not the shoe contracted to the school, then the player must buy them out of their pocket.
Simple.xwhistlex

With these deals, I think shoes are part of the uniform, but that's just me. I can see the other side too.


Jstate has got it right 100%. This is a shoe deal in which the school gets $3mm over a few years. The kid shouldnt be forced to wear it; coaches on the other hand SHOULD if that is the deal they sign.

I would suspect Addidas, if they are smart, lets Junior Airness where whatever the F they want...because in the end...one kid for four years...is worth a lot less of a headache than if his Airness gets Nike to cut a sweet ass deal whereby UCF backs out of its deal with Addidas (at probably a limited cost to the school in damages).


What if the deal requires the school to outfit all the athletes in the shoe? If it didn't do that it would be a pretty worthless deal, IMO. What if Junior wants Nike to make his uni? So long as it looks like the rest of the team would that be okay?

In the end you're right. Adidas was stupid to enter into this deal knowing that this was an issue (which the ESPN story said was the case). UCF should've gone ahead and approached Nike and they probably would've gotten a better deal.

EDIT: From the article.

The problem is UCF Knights has a $3 million, six-year contract with adidas that requires coaches and athletes to use the company's apparel and equipment.

[appmaj]

Wearing shoes ain't about team.
Since the players are not getting a dime of the Adidas contract money with the school and coach, I feel a player should be able to wear any name brand they want.

If the name brand is not the shoe contracted to the school, then the player must buy them out of their pocket.
Simple.xwhistlex

Except for the free education, which I am sure this 3 million at the very least helps with...

[blueballs]

Let us not forget that through the years, as a celebrity spokesperson for Nike, Michael Jordan was compensated with both cash and stock options- the extent of which is largely unknown to me. It might be safe to assume that Michael Jordan has a rather large stake in Nike above and beyond just being a celebrity pitchman, which may lie at the root of the problem with junior and Adidas.

PS: FWIW the biggest hoops draw in Orlando, one Dwight Howard, is under contract to Adidas.

[jstate83]

Except for the free education, which I am sure this 3 million at the very least helps with...

Free Education?
Man if anybody is NOT getting a free education on college campuses it is Athletes.
They work harder than most salaried workers and get paid nothing.

You got more people on academic schollie's in the general campus population that drop out, flunk out, or just pi$$ their chance away off the radar than athlete's and non athletes don't pull in no money to the university.

[mrklean]

I would think his father would want him to be a team player and blend in with the team. But I just remembered who his dad is and what his HOF speech looked like. :o

GREAT POINT!

[Dane96]

With these deals, I think shoes are part of the uniform, but that's just me. I can see the other side too.




What if the deal requires the school to outfit all the athletes in the shoe? If it didn't do that it would be a pretty worthless deal, IMO. What if Junior wants Nike to make his uni? So long as it looks like the rest of the team would that be okay?

In the end you're right. Adidas was stupid to enter into this deal knowing that this was an issue (which the ESPN story said was the case). UCF should've gone ahead and approached Nike and they probably would've gotten a better deal.

EDIT: From the article.

In fact, the deal does do require little Jordan to wear the shoes..but there is this little thing called, "it just doesnt fit my foot properly...i could get injured."

The following in caps isnt for you...but the idiots at Addidas (the douchebags who created the scumbag street agents stemming from Sonny Vaccarro.) THERE IS NO WAY IN HADES A SCHOOL CAN FORCE A KID TO WEAR A SHOE, A KNEE BRACE, ETC. While it could be argued as "part of the uniform", I personally would rip that lawyer apart that went with that line of reasoning.

[Dane96]

Except for the free education, which I am sure this 3 million at the very least helps with...

Not in the LOI...thus not bound.

[mcveyrl]

In fact, the deal does do require little Jordan to wear the shoes..but there is this little thing called, "it just doesnt fit my foot properly...i could get injured."

The following in caps isnt for you...but the idiots at Addidas (the douchebags who created the scumbag street agents stemming from Sonny Vaccarro.) THERE IS NO WAY IN HADES A SCHOOL CAN FORCE A KID TO WEAR A SHOE, A KNEE BRACE, ETC. While it could be argued as "part of the uniform", I personally would rip that lawyer apart that went with that line of reasoning.

Under that reasoning it doesn't matter if it's part of the uniform. They can't force him to wear a uniform either, right?

[Dane96]

Uniforms are required by the NCAA.

Definitely a by-law on that. Sneakers...are arguably a "medical" use device. A uniform is not.

[mcveyrl]

Uniforms are required by the NCAA.

Definitely a by-law on that. Sneakers...are arguably a "medical" use device. A uniform is not.

So what's your argument against the shoe being part of the uniform? Particularly if the school has signed a deal saying that it's part of the uniform (i.e. our players will wear these shoes).

(FWIW, I think you're probably right, but I'm trying to look at this from adidas point of view. You would think they sought some sort of legal advice on the way in light of Jordan Juniors presence, so why they went forward with this is still beyond me).

[PhoenixSupreme]

So what's your argument against the shoe being part of the uniform? Particularly if the school has signed a deal saying that it's part of the uniform (i.e. our players will wear these shoes).

(FWIW, I think you're probably right, but I'm trying to look at this from adidas point of view. You would think they sought some sort of legal advice on the way in light of Jordan Juniors presence, so why they went forward with this is still beyond me).

Well it would be hard for adidas to actually know that Lil' Jordan would have been playing at UCF at the time of the contract signing since they signed the contract in 2005 and Lil' Jordan is a freshman at UCF right now. Their contract with UCF does end in 2010, so I think UCF will probably end up changing sponsors after that date because of Lil' Jordan's presence.

[NHwildEcat]

Free Education?
Man if anybody is NOT getting a free education on college campuses it is Athletes.
They work harder than most salaried workers and get paid nothing.

You got more people on academic schollie's in the general campus population that drop out, flunk out, or just pi$$ their chance away off the radar than athlete's and non athletes don't pull in no money to the university.

You are correct in the amount of work they put in, however, they are leaving school without bills to pay for which is a lot better then the majority of their fellow students, so I really think MJ's kid should chill out and just were the damn shoes he is told to wear.

It is a free ride after all. (Even if it wasn't he wouldn't owe a dime afterwards anyways since his family is set financially.)

[mcveyrl]

Well it would be hard for adidas to actually know that Lil' Jordan would have been playing at UCF at the time of the contract signing since they signed the contract in 2005 and Lil' Jordan is a freshman at UCF right now. Their contract with UCF does end in 2010, so I think UCF will probably end up changing sponsors after that date because of Lil' Jordan's presence.

Yea, I heard that this morning, but the ESPN story said that Adidas was aware of the situation when negotiating the contract, so I'm confused. Maybe they're talking about an extension.

Also, I thought about this: To what extent is his refusal to wear adidas and preference of Nike an "endorsement"? I guess since he's not getting any money he's free and clear, but that question popped in my mind.

[EKU05]

Yea, I heard that this morning, but the ESPN story said that Adidas was aware of the situation when negotiating the contract, so I'm confused. Maybe they're talking about an extension.

Also, I thought about this: To what extent is his refusal to wear adidas and preference of Nike an "endorsement"? I guess since he's not getting any money he's free and clear, but that question popped in my mind.

I don't find that to be an issue. That would basically be saying that a college athlete is not allowed to have an opinion. For example...I enjoy reading those little player bios most teams have in media guides and on their websites where players answer random questions about themselves. One of the popular questions is "What is your favorite midnight snack?" If a player answered that they love to eat Pringles is that a violation?

I think he should probably just wear the shoes, but I can see the other side of the argument as well.

[Hood]

Just bench him. How good is he? Is he going to be one of these kids that go to college for a year and then jump for the NBA?

[CrackerRiley]

Jordan wears Nike.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4623688

[Woof]

Seems like there's more to this story...otherwise a Sharpie and 3 stripes drawn on the Air Jordans could probably take care of all of this, no ?

Tennis players do it all of the time. James Blake was under a racquet contract with one company, but continued to play with his old racquet made by another company....He just had them painted to look like the new company's model.