Largest sneaker endorsement
- Who
- Michael Jordan, Nike
- What
- 2,500,000 US dollar(s)
- Where
- Not Applicable
- When
- 26 October 1984
On 26 October 1984, basketball star Michael Jordan (USA) signed a $2.5-million (£2.05-million) sponsorship deal with US sportswear company Nike to produce a new signature shoe – Air Jordans. The arrangement worked out at $500,000 (£409,750) for each year of the deal. Even at the time, this was worth three times more than any previous endorsement with the National Basketball Association.
The original Air Jordan sneaker line proved wildly successful, making $126 million (£88.4 million) in its first year alone (Nike had initially anticipated sales of $3 million, or £1.77 million, in its first three years).
The deal has regularly been extended since then, with extra shoe models added, and as of 21 February 2025 had earned Michael Jordan an estimated £1.3–$1.5 billion (£1.02–£1.18 billion).