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♪♪
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♪♪
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Reagan: America is back,
standing tall,
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looking to the eighties with
courage, confidence, and hope.
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Jackson: We are not going to be
put back into slavery
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by our own people, who are
selling dope to destroy us.
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Announcer: On September 15th,
Nike created
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a revolutionary
new basketball shoe.
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On October 18th, the NBA
threw them out of the game.
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Man: Government is not
the solution to our problem.
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Government is the problem.
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Man #2:
Air Jordan, Air Jordan.
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Man #3: Air Jordan,
Air Jordan, Air Jordan.
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This is something
you can buy.
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♪♪
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Man #4: Michael!
Michael, you stuck it baby!
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Bush: Read my lips.
No new taxes.
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♪♪
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Woman: People waited in line
all night long
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to get the new Air Jordan
basketball shoes.
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They literally broke a door
off the hinges.
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Several people
were trampled,
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while others crawled over them
to get inside.
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The shoes cost
about $180.
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Man: That's a lot of money to
spend on shoes though, isn't it?
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Yeah.
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You know it's Michael Jordan,
that's what he do.
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All they want
is that shoe.
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My son, he just got
to have them.
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Man:
Thank you, God bless you,
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and God bless
the United States of America.
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Letterman: This last season,
my next guest led his team,
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the Chicago Bulls,
into the NBA playoffs,
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scoring a record of an amazing
63 points in a single game.
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He is only 23 years of age.
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Please welcome
Michael Jordan, folks.
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[ Cheers and applause ]
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Hi, Michael.
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Nice to see you.
How are you?
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Come on over.
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My, oh my.
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I got one thing
to say.
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Yeah? What's that?
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I see Adidas shoes.
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Yeah.
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Why?
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Well, now we can't talk about
this, because the last time
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we started talking about shoes,
there was a huge deal,
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and they had to run up
to the legal department
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and wake up
the attorneys.
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Now, I know you've got a huge
contract with the company.
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Put your feet down.
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[ Laughter ]
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Now, how much do you --
no stop that.
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Or they won't let
any of this on.
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Okay.
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Now, how much do you get paid
just to wear these shoes?
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A lot.
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♪♪
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♪♪
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Well, Nike started as
a running company.
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They started in
the running business.
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And they were successful
in the running business.
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They wanted to grow,
and branch out.
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They got into
other sports.
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Then, in 1984,
they weren't doing very well.
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Dixon: In the early eighties,
that was when they slipped
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to number two in America,
to Reebok.
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And at that time,
Knight asked the group
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"Do you think we should
sell now?"
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And they all said "No.
we can figure a way out of it."
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Nike was considered to be
kind of like a stepchild
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in the shoe game,
at that point.
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It was Converse.
It was Adidas.
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Other brands were much more
solidly entrenched than Nike.
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Nike was just this
little company that could,
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that was trying to fight for
a piece of the market share.
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Everybody in the business
knew that the main consumer
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for athletic shoes
is 16-year-old boys.
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So, the biggest sport to get to
the masses is basketball.
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Man: So, Nike knew that they
needed to be in basketball,
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but nobody really thought
of Nike as a basketball brand,
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particularly the kid.
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The kid, as they called him,
was the customer
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who would buy
basketball shoes.
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And a lot of them
were inner city kids.
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So, Rob Strasser decided
what we needed was an icon.
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We needed to find ourselves
a basketball player
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that kids wanted to be.
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♪ Like Michael.
Fight to be like Michael. ♪
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♪ I want to be,
I want to be like Michael. ♪
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♪ Like Michael.
If I could be like Mike ♪
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You know the reality is that
black people,
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since the beginning of time,
have always made things cool.
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Jazz, rock 'n' roll.
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I mean, you pick
literally anything,
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from a cultural standpoint,
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and we have always been
the arbitrators of cool.
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And it was really no different
with sneakers.
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Williams:
Marketing the Jordan brand
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to the African American
community
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has been the core of
the success of the Jordan brand.
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And so, in order for Jordan
to be as successful
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as they have been,
they had to start with
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the African American market.
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And they had to take that, and
grow it to this massive brand
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that it is today.
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Telander: In the 1980s,
the African American community
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was struggling
to try to find a leader,
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try to find something
to believe in.
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You could say it was about race,
or skin color, or ethnicity,
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but it was mostly,
as always, about poverty.
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About economic disparity,
and about hope,
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and about a chance
to move ahead,
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to actually become part of the
alleged great American ladder,
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where you can start anywhere,
and you can make it to the top.
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That great myth that we believe
in, here in this country.
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Hill: The 1980s was
a volatile time in this country.
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You know, growing up
in Detroit, for us,
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I mean, we were no different
than New York,
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00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,080
Chicago,
where the influx of drugs
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had, overnight, kind of changed
a lot of middle class,
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00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:14,640
working class
neighborhoods.
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00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,000
It was a depressing time,
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because a lot of what
those baby boomers
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that were there
and fought through civil rights
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00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:24,040
in the sixties and seventies,
they were kind of seeing
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the progress that they made
slip away.
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[ Crowd chanting
"Four more years!" ]
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Lazenby: Well, you know,
American society
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was experiencing
the Reagan years.
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And it was the early birth
of the conservative movement
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as we know it today,
with neo-conservatives.
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Definitely, Ronald Reagan
had lit the fires
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for conservative thought.
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Reagan: The present recession
is bottoming out
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without resorting
to quick fixes.
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There won't be a sudden boom,
or upsurge,
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but slowly and surely,
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00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:57,800
we'll have a sound
and lasting recovery,
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and an end
to deficit spending.
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Garcia: Generally, when you have
Republican leadership,
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it shifts and leans towards
empowering corporate America,
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privatization
of institutions.
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There's less funding
for community programs.
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You know,
there was a big divide,
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and a gap in the support
for the youth.
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Kent: Well, what was going on
in the eighties,
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it was communities
within communities
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building upon themselves,
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and trying to take care
of themselves.
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And it kind of started
fragmenting because of crack.
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And because crack was
so devastating,
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it devastated the neighborhoods
that we lived in.
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Man:
By the hundreds, Bronx residents
made themselves heard today
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to call for more action
against the crack epidemic --
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an epidemic measured
in violence,
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broken homes,
and burnt-out youngsters.
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Well, the first thing
that you learn about sport
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is that sport
is a microcosm society.
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And because this was
happening in society,
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it's always gonna
seep into sport.
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No different than,
you know, what's happening
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00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:04,800
with the killing
of unarmed black men
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00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:08,200
has seeped into the NFL
with the Anthem protest.
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And when you talk about
the tragic deaths of athletes
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like Len Bias,
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which I think really
changed everything.
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By all intents and purposes
people considered him
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the next Michael Jordan.
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When he collapsed,
and passed away,
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I think it really frightened
a lot of people.
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Len Bias was an
all-American basketball star,
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the University of Maryland's
leading scorer.
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And after four years of college,
he was drafted this week
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by the champion
Boston Celtics.
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Announcer:
The world champion Celtics use
their first round draft choice
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to pick Bias to play for them
after his graduation.
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This morning, Len Bias was dead
of cardio respiratory arrest.
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No one knows why yet.
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There are reports
that traces of cocaine
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were found
in Bias' system.
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Hill:
The death of Len Bias,
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it not only was a sports story
it was an American story
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that wind up having
a deep impact
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on how people viewed the drug
problem in this country.
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And so, this was a death
that affected policy,
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and that led to
the mandatory minimums
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that wound up
being kind of the gateway
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to the huge explosion
in mass incarceration.
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So, it wasn't just about
this particular athlete
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dying of
a drug overdose.
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This was about how this death
shaped American policy
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when it came to
criminal justice.
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That was coming out
of the 1970s.
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00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:31,520
Cocaine was a big party drug
in the NBA itself.
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In 1984, David Stern
would become commissioner,
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00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:40,520
and they would begin
all of the drug policy
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that eventually allowed the NBA
to raise its profile.
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But it took a while for that
to really gain traction.
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♪ We're the LA Lakers,
and we're here to say ♪
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♪ that the drugs
are killing everything ♪
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♪ Cocaine and crack,
it's all got to go ♪
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00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,200
♪ We've got to learn
to just say "no" ♪
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♪ I'm Kareem,
the captain of the team ♪
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00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,520
♪ I don't need drugs,
I've got a higher thing ♪
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00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:05,320
♪ My sky hook makes the team
look good. ♪
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00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,320
♪ But there's a hook we got
to shape from the neighborhood ♪
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00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,960
Telander:
In the eighties, basketball was
starting, for the first time,
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00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:13,200
particularly at
the highest levels,
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00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:15,800
to be dominated
by black athletes.
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00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:17,600
And it hadn't been that way
because of racism
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and segregation.
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00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:20,920
You know, there had always been
the greats, the Wrens,
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00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:22,360
and the Harlem Globe Trotters.
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00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,440
But people said "That
doesn't really count."
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00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:29,040
Announcer: The Globe Trotters
have made basketball
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00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:31,600
into something more like
a ballet than a sport.
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00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:32,960
Supremely confident,
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00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,160
their choreography
of sparkling precision
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00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:39,000
that leaves both spectators
and opponents mystified.
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00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:43,000
Telander: The Chicago Bulls were
a reflection of this new time.
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00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:45,760
Many of the players were black,
many of the stars were,
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00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:47,760
and the crowd
was still white.
225
00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:50,880
You could sense, maybe,
if not a tension,
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00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,960
but not a real
kind of community feeling
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00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:58,040
between the basketball team
and the surrounding area.
228
00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:01,760
Lazenby: I remember going
to Chicago Stadium,
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00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:05,360
which was located
in blighted neighborhoods,
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00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:10,880
and there was a real sense
of cultural clash there.
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00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:12,400
I think, until Jordan
came,
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00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,200
Chicago wasn't really
a destination for anybody.
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00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:17,480
They just didn't have that
transcendent sports team
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00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:19,720
to make things change.
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00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:27,200
Lazenby: The Chicago Bulls were
a relatively young franchise
236
00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:28,600
in the early 1980s.
237
00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:33,440
They'd only really gotten
started in 1966/67.
238
00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:37,800
But they were a dismal franchise
in deep financial trouble.
239
00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:41,200
On the outside, the Bulls
were just a sad franchise.
240
00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,840
But at the same time, the city
wasn't expecting much from them.
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00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:48,640
There was always a sense
of the Bulls doing decent --
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00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:50,880
never big, decent.
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00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:53,080
Bengtson: You just didn't care.
Like, they didn't matter.
244
00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:54,880
They were a team
that came into town,
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00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:57,400
and they played,
and no one cared.
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00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,840
Announcer: Chicago hasn't scored
in the last two minutes.
247
00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:04,200
There was a reason that they got
to draft Michael Jordan third.
248
00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,000
I mean,
Houston took Hakeem.
249
00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,160
The Portland Trailblazers
took Sam Bowie.
250
00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:11,640
Yeah, he went third.
251
00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:13,360
Bengtson:
They were awful.
252
00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:14,960
You obviously don't get the
number-three pick in the draft
253
00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:16,240
unless you're terrible.
254
00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,880
And they were
pretty terrible.
255
00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:20,400
Lazenby: Michael Jordan
signing with the Bulls,
256
00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:22,200
the fact that he was
the third player taken,
257
00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:26,200
and the Bulls had that
third choice, was just amazing.
258
00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:30,440
The Chicago Bulls
pick Michael Jordan.
259
00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:35,440
♪♪
260
00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:37,320
Lazenby: People thought, "Well,
you know, I saw this guy play
261
00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:39,440
in college
for North Carolina.
262
00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:40,720
He was pretty exciting."
263
00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:46,880
♪♪
264
00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:53,040
♪♪
265
00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:54,320
Jackson: He was the two-time
Player of the Year
266
00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:55,960
after his freshman year.
267
00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:57,760
But if you really followed
the game, he still wasn't --
268
00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:00,400
to a lot of people, wasn't
the best player in the ACC.
269
00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:02,760
You know, Len Bias was
the best player in the ACC.
270
00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:06,600
That kind of shifted during that
summer with USA basketball.
271
00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:09,160
You know, we kind of knew
the dude was nice.
272
00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:10,800
But it was after the draft
273
00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:12,880
when we find out
how nice he really was.
274
00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:17,280
We didn't know he had
the ability to score like that.
275
00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:21,800
Announcer:
Jordan gets Sims off his feet,
and shoots right over him.
276
00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:23,800
There's Jordan.
277
00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:25,920
14 for Michael Jordan.
278
00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:27,600
Then, Fleming from Georgia,
279
00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:31,680
nice dump pass by Alford
to the acrobatic Michael Jordan.
280
00:13:31,680 --> 00:13:33,400
And some people were like,
"Oh, my God.
281
00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:34,920
We just got, I think,
282
00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:37,000
a great,
great basketball player."
283
00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:38,360
But nobody knew.
284
00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:39,920
The Americans
were so much better
285
00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:43,040
than everybody else in 1984
that it was almost absurd
286
00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:47,120
to make any comparisons
about anything.
287
00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:48,880
Announcer: Jordan again.
288
00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:50,080
Announcer #2:
He's beautiful.
289
00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:52,320
And Nike had
identified him.
290
00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:55,120
Sonny Vaccaro, who was
an executive at Nike,
291
00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:57,200
not even a
high-level executive.
292
00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,400
But he managed a lot
of Nike's basketball business.
293
00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:03,400
He got the sense, in watching
Jordan as freshman
294
00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:05,040
at the Final Four
295
00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:09,840
that Jordan was going to be
this cross-over person.
296
00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:12,760
And on Sonny Vaccaro's hunch,
297
00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,640
they were already negotiating
his contract with Nike.
298
00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:20,200
♪♪
299
00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:23,040
You know, Sonny is the driving
force who convinced them.
300
00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:25,680
Like, "Look. Don't spread
everything out.
301
00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:27,600
you know, "Trust me,
this one guy --
302
00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:29,880
this Michael Jordan
coming out of North Carolina --
303
00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:31,760
is gonna be the guy."
304
00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:32,960
Announcer:
Michael Jordan.
305
00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:34,280
Everything
seems to be
306
00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:36,240
like a highlight film
when he plays.
307
00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:38,320
Man: Well, Sonny Vaccaro
came to Nike
308
00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:40,000
basically through
the college ranks.
309
00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:42,280
And he had a tournament
called "The Dapper Dan,"
310
00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:43,840
that was held
in Pittsburgh,
311
00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:46,400
that Nike had wanted
to get involved with,
312
00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:49,560
because that was where top
high school kids went to play.
313
00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,160
So, if you really wanted to know
who the next basketball player
314
00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:55,520
was gonna be,
you went to Sonny Vaccaro.
315
00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:57,320
You know, he was the one
who convinced them,
316
00:14:57,320 --> 00:14:59,240
"if you pay a college coach
X amount,
317
00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:00,600
they'll wear your shoes.
318
00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:02,320
Give me this budget,
and I'll go get you
319
00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:03,680
the best college coaches."
320
00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:06,640
The deal was this coach,
you sign the coach,
321
00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:10,280
his team wears Nike shoes.
322
00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:15,200
Sonny really knew how to spot
the young basketball stars.
323
00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:16,800
To get them when they're
in high school,
324
00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:19,560
to get them in the Nike shoes,
to get them used to them,
325
00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:22,720
so when they turned pro,
they would go with Nike.
326
00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:23,920
Garcia:
It was brilliant.
327
00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:25,400
Sonny Vaccaro at Nike,
328
00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:28,200
like, he knew what he
was doing, you know?
329
00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:29,960
It was like "Alright, well,
we can't compete with y'all
330
00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:32,760
up there, but we're gonna
kill y'all over here.
331
00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:34,880
And all these cats
that are here
332
00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:37,520
are gonna be those
next Julius Erving,
333
00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:40,360
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,
and Tiny Archibald."
334
00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:41,880
Lazenby:
The coaches were stunned.
335
00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:43,520
They didn't think
it was legal.
336
00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:45,280
Is this free money?
337
00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:48,400
And sales were rising
accordingly
338
00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:50,400
with all this
new exposure.
339
00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,040
No question that
Nike Basketball,
340
00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:54,600
including Air Jordan,
341
00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:56,440
and including
the rest of it,
342
00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,440
would not be where it is
without Sonny Vaccaro.
343
00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:01,840
Phil Knight may not
want to admit it.
344
00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:03,600
Sonny Vaccaro built it.
345
00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:06,560
He and Rob Strasser together
built what is today
346
00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:08,520
known as Nike Basketball.
347
00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:15,000
♪♪
348
00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,240
Vaccaro: You know, I'm gonna
give you a surprise.
349
00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:21,320
I'm gonna show you
the one priceless thing
350
00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,200
that Michael Jordan
gave to me.
351
00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:24,840
He was playing the
Los Angeles Lakers
352
00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:26,480
the year that
they won the championship.
353
00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:28,440
And Howard White called me,
and says,
354
00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:30,600
"Michael left you
a pair of shoes."
355
00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:32,160
And what do I get?
356
00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:35,440
This is the famous shoe
when he hurt his toe
357
00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,200
against the Lakers, playing
for the world championship,
358
00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:39,760
that he wore that night.
359
00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:41,600
And he gave them to me.
360
00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:45,360
In my opinion, the most
priceless Jordan shoes,
361
00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,200
because we know there's only one
pair of the ones
362
00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:50,120
he wore in that game.
363
00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:52,480
Announcer: And the Bulls do not
have any timeouts remaining.
364
00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:56,400
Craig Hodges, a three point
specialist, has checked in.
365
00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:58,560
Here's Jordan
on the pull up.
366
00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:00,200
Yes!
367
00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:07,440
And the game is tied at 92
with 3:04 seconds remaining.
368
00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,000
Alright, Marv, one thing
is gonna bother the Bulls.
369
00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,240
Just during that last play,
Michael Jordan hurt
370
00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:13,560
the tip of his big toe.
371
00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:15,200
They've taken it out,
and taken a look at it,
372
00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:17,640
and it's gonna be painful,
but he'll try to go with it.
373
00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:20,640
Vaccaro: In the mid 1980s --
82, 83 I guess,
374
00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:24,400
Nike was gonna finally sign
a pro player
375
00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:26,360
that was gonna be
a signature shoe --
376
00:17:26,360 --> 00:17:28,600
which was the new term
at that time.
377
00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:32,280
And it was a very good
draft class at 1984,
378
00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:33,800
very good draft class.
379
00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,600
And it came down to
selecting somebody.
380
00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,320
So, they asked me,
"What do I do?"
381
00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:41,720
And I just said,
"Give it to the kid."
382
00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,240
If you're gonna name a shoe
after a high flier,
383
00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,080
how in the hell can you give it
two or three?
384
00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:51,000
There's only one chief.
385
00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:55,800
The famous phrase was,
"Will you bet your job?"
386
00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:57,640
I said,
"Give it all to Jordan.
387
00:17:57,640 --> 00:17:59,960
He has what you want."
388
00:17:59,960 --> 00:18:02,840
Announcer: Gordie to Jordan.
Breaks out on him.
389
00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:05,160
Good coverage, defensively.
He still hit it.
390
00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:07,440
Oh, what presence of mind.
391
00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:11,160
Announcer #2: It's amazing what
the freshman can do.
392
00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:22,800
Lazenby:
Nike's executives decided
to plow their entire budget
393
00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:24,800
into this young
Michael Jordan,
394
00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:29,800
who had never played
an NBA game.
395
00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,000
Knight: And we didn't even know
who Jordan was.
396
00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,720
He played for North Carolina,
which was a Dean Smith school.
397
00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:37,600
Dean Smith was
a Converse guy.
398
00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,920
So, we assumed all his guys
were gonna go to Converse.
399
00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:43,800
Well, Sonny convinced us
that we could get this guy.
400
00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,600
And so, he set about
to go get him.
401
00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:49,880
At one point, they wanted to
bring Michael out to Beaverton,
402
00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:51,600
sort of like
college recruit.
403
00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:53,280
They wanted to have a campus
visit -- except for one thing.
404
00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:54,720
Michael didn't
want to go.
405
00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:56,480
He said, "David,
I have no interest in Nike.
406
00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:57,880
I don't know anything
about Nike.
407
00:18:57,880 --> 00:18:59,520
If you want to go see Nike,
like you go."
408
00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:01,200
I said, "Well, I don't need
to see Nike.
409
00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,920
But you can't make an
intelligent informed decision
410
00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:06,840
until you see the campus,
and see what they have to offer,
411
00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:08,400
and see what the people
are like,
412
00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:10,680
and what the product
is like."
413
00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:12,480
He turned me down.
So, I went to his parents.
414
00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:14,520
I said, "Look,
it's the very first thing ever
415
00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:15,760
I'm asking him to do
416
00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:16,960
since he picked me
to work with him.
417
00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:18,640
You've got to help me.
418
00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:20,560
We can't work together if he's
not gonna at least visit."
419
00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:23,080
They said, "David, don't worry.
He'll be on the plane."
420
00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:29,200
Knight:
The brand that he really wanted
to sign with was Adidas.
421
00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:33,080
He had worn Adidas all through
college, except in the games,
422
00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,160
'cause he had to wear
Converse in the games.
423
00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:38,360
The problem was, Adidas never
asked him to come to Germany
424
00:19:38,360 --> 00:19:40,480
for a presentation,
or anything.
425
00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:42,840
Years later, when I went
to Adidas, I asked them,
426
00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:45,800
I said, "Why on earth
didn't you sign Michael Jordan?"
427
00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:47,440
They said
they had no idea
428
00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:49,360
who he was,
or what they'd do with him.
429
00:19:49,360 --> 00:19:50,880
If he wanted shoes,
they'd be more than happy
430
00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:52,320
to give him shoes.
431
00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:55,080
But they weren't gonna
pay him any money.
432
00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:56,360
We went to all
the companies,
433
00:19:56,360 --> 00:19:58,720
and instead of making
a proposal,
434
00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:00,760
I basically said to them,
435
00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:04,280
"We're going to let you meet
with Michael, and explain,
436
00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:07,200
if he picked you,
what can you do for him?"
437
00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:08,840
Which is a really different
kind of a concept.
438
00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:10,040
Instead of asking what
the player can do
439
00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:11,800
for the company,
you know,
440
00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:13,800
we ask what the company
can do for the player.
441
00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:15,000
And truthfully,
most of the companies
442
00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:16,720
weren't prepared
for that.
443
00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:19,400
Converse, at the time, they were
the official shoe of the NBA.
444
00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:21,560
And their pitch to him was
"We're going to treat you
445
00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:23,040
just like everybody else."
446
00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:24,440
Which they thought
was a great pitch
447
00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:26,240
because they had
so many great players.
448
00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:28,760
I was looking for something
more creative, and unique.
449
00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:30,640
So, in terms of Nike,
450
00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:33,160
Sonny said to me, like,
"What's important to you?"
451
00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,080
And I said to him, "I know this
is gonna sound really crazy,
452
00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:38,200
but I want you to treat him
like he's a tennis player.
453
00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:40,720
I want him to have his own line
of shoes and clothes.
454
00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:41,960
I want to have commercials.
455
00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:43,600
I want you to market him
like he's playing
456
00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:45,120
an individual sport."
457
00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:48,320
People thought that wouldn't
work in team sports.
458
00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:50,640
And we set out to prove
that it would work.
459
00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,320
Prior to Jordan,
the endorsement business --
460
00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:57,600
particularly the basketball
endorsement business --
461
00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:01,760
was pretty much
team-orientated.
462
00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:06,640
Converse had Julius Erving,
Magic Johnson, Larry Bird.
463
00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:08,800
All three of those guys
wore the same shoe.
464
00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:10,680
They wore
Converse shoes.
465
00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:17,480
Basketball shoes in America
were sort of a closed business.
466
00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:20,240
Converse, which had
the Chuck Taylors,
467
00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:23,040
the canvas and rubber shoes,
468
00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,640
they'd had the business
for so long.
469
00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:28,280
There were no great
endorsement deals.
470
00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:32,800
Converse simply gave the Celtics
and other NBA teams --
471
00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:35,760
a lot of NBA teams
had to pay for their shoes,
472
00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:37,600
but they simply gave them,
473
00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:39,520
so that they would have
shoes to wear,
474
00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:42,160
and fans would see them,
and magazines
475
00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:43,840
would take
their photographs.
476
00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:45,920
And it was
a nice little business,
477
00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:49,040
but it wasn't a
big-money business.
478
00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:52,680
Stern: Converse had
all of our players,
479
00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:55,920
but they were not
too keen on marketing.
480
00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,400
And then, when Michael
came along,
481
00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:00,480
Nike understood that this was
482
00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:02,880
an opportunity
to use his connection
483
00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:05,880
to the league, and his prowess
as a basketball player,
484
00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:09,600
as a stepping stone
to grow the industry.
485
00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:13,280
♪♪
486
00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:17,040
There are obviously NBA players
who had shoe contracts.
487
00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:19,880
But that was all
relatively restrained.
488
00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:23,120
You know, a lot of them
were for $9,000 or $10,000.
489
00:22:23,120 --> 00:22:26,800
Kareem was probably getting
in the neighborhood
490
00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:29,640
of $100,000 a year.
491
00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:34,000
Hill:
It wasn't seen as something
where athletes were necessarily
492
00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:37,120
shaping culture
the way shoes shape culture now.
493
00:22:37,120 --> 00:22:39,720
And so, this idea that
there was gonna be
494
00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:43,200
this whole marketplace
of athletes pedaling shoes
495
00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:45,280
was just kind of
unheard of,
496
00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:49,360
and to some degree,
considered to be ridiculous.
497
00:22:49,360 --> 00:22:52,800
Pre-Jordan it was, you know,
"Here's our shoe.
498
00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:55,880
You're endorsing it.
We'll pay you to do that."
499
00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:57,400
And that's basically
where it ends.
500
00:22:57,400 --> 00:22:58,920
They would be
in commercials.
501
00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:01,600
They would maybe get
a shoe in their color.
502
00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:04,080
But it was
nothing special.
503
00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:05,640
It's reinforced
for me.
504
00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:06,960
And me.
505
00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,760
Hey, maybe it was made
for both of us.
506
00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:11,400
Must be magic.
507
00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:13,640
Now that's who this shoe
was made for.
508
00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:15,720
[ All laugh ]
509
00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:20,960
Announcer:
The Converse Star Tech, with
the unique uni-saddle design.
510
00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:24,080
You had Larry Bird and
Magic Johnson with Converse.
511
00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:25,520
You had Dr. J
with Converse.
512
00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:28,800
I mean, Dr. J
was the first superstar.
513
00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:30,280
♪ Hey, hey, Dr. J ♪
514
00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,640
He was the first elevation
of the sneaker game,
515
00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:34,480
wearing Dr. J Converses.
516
00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,240
♪ Are you a member
of the human race ♪
517
00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:41,520
♪ Hey, Dr. J, are you
wearing magic shoes? ♪
518
00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:44,480
Announcer:
He's wearing Converse,
the shoes of the stars.
519
00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,160
Kent: But if you really
want to look at it,
520
00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:51,080
the guy who changed
the game was Clyde,
521
00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,560
because he was the first
coolest basketball player.
522
00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:56,920
He was the guy
you wanted to be like.
523
00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:59,000
He was the guy
you wanted to dress like.
524
00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:04,120
♪♪
525
00:24:04,120 --> 00:24:06,600
When you saw him
you saw the mink coats,
526
00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:08,040
you saw the Rolls-Royces,
527
00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:09,800
he looked like
the hustlers.
528
00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:11,600
He looked like
a superhero.
529
00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:16,080
And then, he has his name in
gold on the side of a sneaker.
530
00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:20,600
So, everything else after that
was a byproduct of him
531
00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,720
being the coolest first.
532
00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:27,080
But it's like the player
had to be cool, as well.
533
00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:29,560
Like, was Magic Johnson cool?
534
00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:30,760
Not really.
535
00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:32,200
Was Larry Bird cool?
536
00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:34,200
Was Abdul-Jabbar cool?
537
00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:35,520
Not really.
538
00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:38,920
But then, Michael Jordan
is semi-cool.
539
00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:46,960
But then, his sneaker becomes a
character, and then that's cool.
540
00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:48,400
So, he reluctantly agreed.
541
00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:49,760
Knight:
He comes to Oregon.
542
00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:51,560
And then, we started showing him
the things
543
00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:53,040
that we wanted to do
with him,
544
00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:55,920
including making a red,
white, and black shoe.
545
00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:58,400
And he said, "So, you want me
to play in this?"
546
00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:00,800
We said "Yeah. That's the idea.
You play in the game,
547
00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:03,640
because they see you playing
the game, they buy the shoe."
548
00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:08,880
We played a tape using
the Pointer Sisters song "Jump."
549
00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:10,720
with a highlight reel
of him,
550
00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:12,560
And at the end,
we showed the wings
551
00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:14,640
and the Jordan trademark.
552
00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,800
But mostly, what we had was,
we had a program.
553
00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:19,320
We were gonna make
Michael Jordan
554
00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:21,120
a marketing superstar.
555
00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:27,400
♪♪
556
00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:30,600
He was impressed with
the boldness of the idea.
557
00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:32,680
And we went to dinner that night
with his parents.
558
00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,720
And at the end of the dinner,
his mother leaned over and said,
559
00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:39,960
"Don't worry about it
Michael will be wearing Nike."
560
00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,680
So, the deal was
a five-year deal.
561
00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:44,760
Michael got a certain amount
of guaranteed money
562
00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:46,480
over a five-year period.
563
00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:49,160
On top of that,
he got a very large annuity
564
00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:50,480
that would start
paying him
565
00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:51,960
after he retired
from basketball --
566
00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:53,680
over $1 million
a year.
567
00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:56,040
And he obviously got royalties
on the shoe.
568
00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:57,880
And it was a deal that,
actually,
569
00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,120
I believe, that we proposed
to Michael,
570
00:26:00,120 --> 00:26:01,760
that they didn't
propose to us.
571
00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:04,800
We proposed to Michael
to sort of take the price down,
572
00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:07,320
how much cash
we'd actually have to put out.
573
00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:09,760
Falk: I asked Nike what
their expectations were.
574
00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:12,280
And their expectations were,
in the five-year deal,
575
00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,720
by the end of year three,
they'd hope to sell $3 million
576
00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:17,600
worth of shoes
heading into year four.
577
00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:19,000
That was their expectation.
578
00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:21,520
And they sold $126 million
the first year.
579
00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:25,120
Where I think we made a mistake
is, we didn't put a cap on it,
580
00:26:25,120 --> 00:26:28,840
and we didn't say "Okay, after
so many thousands of pairs,
581
00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:31,160
the royalty rate
goes down."
582
00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:35,280
The thinking was, "Look, if he
sold that many shoes, great."
583
00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:37,040
As it turned out,
that's what happened.
584
00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,440
They sold so many shoes they
didn't know what to do with it,
585
00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:42,760
and Michael made
a lot of money.
586
00:26:46,360 --> 00:26:49,800
Falk: By the end of year three,
they'd hope to sell $3 million
587
00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:51,640
worth of shoes
heading into year four.
588
00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:53,040
That was their expectation.
589
00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:55,600
And they sold $126 million
the first year.
590
00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:59,200
Where I think we made a mistake
is, we didn't put a cap on it,
591
00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:02,960
and we didn't say "Okay, after
so many thousands of pairs,
592
00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:05,200
the royalty rate
goes down."
593
00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:09,280
The thinking was, "Look, if he
sold that many shoes, great."
594
00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:11,040
As it turned out,
that's what happened.
595
00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:13,360
They sold so many shoes they
didn't know what to do with it,
596
00:27:13,360 --> 00:27:15,440
and Michael made
a lot of money.
597
00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,000
Falk:
Now, if I would have known that,
I probably would have asked them
598
00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:22,000
to pay him a dollar a year
and 50/50 on the royalties.
599
00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:23,240
Now, had we done that,
600
00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:24,840
maybe they wouldn't have
pushed the line.
601
00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:27,960
The most important aspect
of his deal
602
00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:30,240
wasn't the money
or the royalties.
603
00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:32,120
I forced them to spend
$1 million.
604
00:27:32,120 --> 00:27:33,800
in the first six months
to promote him.
605
00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:36,280
I think we agreed
that we would pay him
606
00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:38,200
close to $1 million,
607
00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:41,480
and that we would put close to
$1 million into marketing.
608
00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:43,480
And then,
the fun stuff started.
609
00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:49,680
And the fun stuff was, "How are
we gonna market this guy?"
610
00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:52,880
We all talked about how he used
to soar in the air.
611
00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:56,600
David Falk, to his credit, said
"I've got a name for this thing.
612
00:27:56,600 --> 00:27:58,240
it should be called
'Air Jordan.'"
613
00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:00,120
Rob immediately
wants to use the name.
614
00:28:00,120 --> 00:28:02,120
I said,
"Well, why don't we think
about it for a little while.
615
00:28:02,120 --> 00:28:04,160
There's an airline
that's called "Air Jordan.'"
616
00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:07,720
But no, Rob was going
with Air Jordan.
617
00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:09,840
Michael always tells me
it's the first
618
00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:13,000
and the last great idea
I ever had.
619
00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:16,680
After that, I went and saw him
in Washington D.C.
620
00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:19,640
In that conversation, he told me
that he didn't want to wear
621
00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:21,320
red, white, and black.
622
00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:23,400
And when I asked him, I said,
"Well, what's the reason?"
623
00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:25,320
He said, "They're
the devil's colors."
624
00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:27,400
I said, "Well, they're
the Chicago Bull's colors,
625
00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:29,960
so you better go talk to the guy
that owns the Chicago Bulls.
626
00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:31,480
'cause I can't
change them."
627
00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:33,360
I mean he wanted to wear
Carolina blue,
628
00:28:33,360 --> 00:28:35,640
which was the color
of his school.
629
00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:37,000
And I said,
"We'll make you a pair,
630
00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:38,360
you can wear them
on Saturdays.
631
00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:40,160
But you're in red,
white, and black.
632
00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:43,640
You know, that's just the way
it's got to be."
633
00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:46,560
Jackson: The ideology behind
doing this came a long time
634
00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:48,480
before the shoe
was first launched.
635
00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:49,960
You know, these conversations
with Jordan
636
00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:52,200
getting his own shoe
came his rookie year.
637
00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:54,160
But they waited before
they actually launched it.
638
00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:56,800
And the lead up to that
was beautiful,
639
00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:58,800
because what they did is
put the shoes on Jordan,
640
00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:00,640
so you could see
him playing.
641
00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:02,280
Bengtson:
You know, the build-up of
that shoe before it released
642
00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:04,920
at retail
was five or six months long,
643
00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:08,040
which was fairly unheard of
back then.
644
00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,600
And I think the idea of
a new shoe model
645
00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:12,640
being such a big deal,
646
00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:15,880
and being such a big deal
to people other than athletes,
647
00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,720
was something
really different.
648
00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:20,680
Knight: The first time
he wore the shoes,
649
00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:22,680
he wore them in New York
650
00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:25,200
at an exhibition game --
a pre-season game.
651
00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:27,000
They're out doing
their warm-up drills,
652
00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:30,640
and all of a sudden, there's
a bunch of kids start gathering.
653
00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:32,960
And they're all pointing
at his shoes.
654
00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:35,600
David Falk happens to be
sitting in the arena,
655
00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:37,560
and he wants to know
what all this is about.
656
00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:39,200
"What's going on here?"
657
00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:42,120
And they tell him, "Oh, Jordan's
got on these crazy shoes."
658
00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:44,720
And sure enough,
the shoes get banned.
659
00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:48,440
At that time, David Stern,
who was head of the NBA,
660
00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:51,080
had a rule
that only white footwear
661
00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:52,720
was allowed on the court.
662
00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:55,280
Stern saw these shoes, and said,
"That's against the rules.
663
00:29:55,280 --> 00:29:57,040
You can't do it."
664
00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:59,360
Bengtson: The original
Air Jordan was just a project
665
00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:03,320
that was kind of unprecedented
in the way Nike worked.
666
00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:06,800
You know, they signed Jordan
that summer, and wanted to get
667
00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:10,360
a signature shoe on his foot
in that first season,
668
00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:12,280
which really compressed
the amount of time
669
00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:15,000
they had to get
this shoe done.
670
00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,120
So, in the meantime,
he had to wear something else.
671
00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:20,360
and what he ended up wearing
was the Nike Air Ship.
672
00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:21,720
And that was the shoe
673
00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:24,200
that originally drew
the ire of the NBA,
674
00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:27,080
and basically
banning the shoe.
675
00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:30,760
Stern:
We told Michael and Nike that,
whatever shoe he was wearing
676
00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:33,560
didn't conform,
so would they please change it.
677
00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:35,680
And Rob said, "So, what are
you gonna do, fine him?"
678
00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:37,200
He goes "Yes.
I'm gonna fine him."
679
00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:38,960
And Rob said,
"Go ahead and fine him.
680
00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:40,440
Nike will cover him."
681
00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:43,320
It became the shoe
that was banned by the NBA,
682
00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:44,960
with the implication
that it was
683
00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:47,640
because it made Michael
such a good basketball player.
684
00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:51,160
Announcer: On September 15th,
Nike created a revolutionary
685
00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:53,680
new basketball shoe.
686
00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:59,720
On October 18th, the NBA
threw them out of the game.
687
00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:03,640
Fortunately, the NBA can't
stop you from wearing them.
688
00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,440
♪♪
689
00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:10,200
Lazenby: Nike officials
reacted with glee to this,
690
00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:13,880
because that meant that,
if something is outlawed,
691
00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:16,000
it becomes very precious.
692
00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:19,360
Williams: Typically, when you
brand a product, you start with
693
00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:21,800
what we call "functional
benefits of consumption."
694
00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:24,560
You want to give people
a sense that, again,
695
00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:26,280
this somehow
solves a problem
696
00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:28,800
or it somehow makes you better
at something you're doing.
697
00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:30,960
And that was the first thing
we did with the Jordan brand,
698
00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:34,120
was "Hey, we gave you the sense
that you would be
699
00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:37,000
a better basketball player
if you were to wear these shoes,
700
00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:38,680
and that the NBA band
these shoes
701
00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:40,480
because it gave
Michael Jordan
702
00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:42,240
some type
of competitive advantage."
703
00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:43,440
And then,
you look on television,
704
00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:45,240
and you see this man
doing things
705
00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:48,600
that you'd never seen an athlete
do, ever, you believe in it.
706
00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:50,960
They gave Nike
the best publicity ever
707
00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:52,600
when they banned
the Air Jordan,
708
00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:55,120
which only made them hotter
in the streets.
709
00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:57,640
Knight:
There's no question of the fact
that the shoes were banned
710
00:31:57,640 --> 00:31:58,880
helped the sale
of the shoes.
711
00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:00,400
Kids like that stuff.
712
00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:02,600
Particularly the inner city kid,
he loves that stuff.
713
00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:05,320
"I'm wearing something
I'm not supposed to be wearing.
714
00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:06,520
Perfect."
715
00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:07,960
[ Laughs ]
716
00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:09,160
Couldn't be better.
717
00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:10,480
And, all of a sudden,
overnight,
718
00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:12,360
it was just like
everybody wanted them.
719
00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:14,760
They were being sold
on the street corners
720
00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:16,600
for hundreds of dollars.
721
00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:18,680
Knight The first time we showed
Footlocker, for example --
722
00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:21,000
which is the biggest
retailer in America --
723
00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:24,000
they only wanted 5,000 pairs
for all their stores.
724
00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:28,000
Within a week, they called,
and wanted 150,000 pairs.
725
00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:29,600
-Nike!
-Adidas!
726
00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:32,040
Competition is the name
of the game at Footlocker,
727
00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:34,480
with the biggest selection
of big names ever assembled.
728
00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:36,680
So, whether your game
is serious or social,
729
00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:39,000
we'll find the right shoe
for you.
730
00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:42,120
You know, you don't tell people
not to do something,
731
00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:44,720
because they want to do it --
particularly that age group.
732
00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:46,480
And that just shows you
the personality
733
00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:48,000
of the kid
who's buying the shoe.
734
00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:51,000
He wanted to
break the rules.
735
00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:53,320
Kent: The shoes were
anti-establishment,
736
00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:54,600
you know what I'm saying?
737
00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:56,920
So, the hood is
anti-establishment.
738
00:32:56,920 --> 00:33:00,880
It's almost like they were made
to be for each other.
739
00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:02,800
Knight: The ban helped,
no question about it.
740
00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:05,560
I mean Rob Strasser wrote David
a thank-you note.
741
00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:07,480
And as Rob was leaving
his office,
742
00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:10,400
he said, "I have one thing
to ask that you do."
743
00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:12,200
And Rob turns around,
and says, "What?"
744
00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:14,080
"Can you send me a pair
of the banned shoes?
745
00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:16,320
My son wants them.
He thinks I'm a jerk."
746
00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:19,800
[ Laughs ]
747
00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:22,160
Bengtson:
The Air Jordan was something
that kind of transcended
748
00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:23,840
all these different borders
749
00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:26,280
that hadn't really been
transcended before.
750
00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,160
The fact that it comes out after
he plays in the All-Star game,
751
00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:31,320
after he's in
his first dunk contest,
752
00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:34,360
by the time that shoe
finally hit the market,
753
00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:36,400
they were just gone.
754
00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,240
Knight:
I think we sold over a million
pairs of shoes in one year,
755
00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:41,720
which is -- in those days
was a lot.
756
00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:44,400
It wasn't started slowly
and built to a big fire.
757
00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:46,440
It started as
a giant fire.
758
00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:50,120
I mean, it just was -- there was
a big fire from day one.
759
00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:51,920
Flight Attendant: Good morning,
ladies and gentlemen.
760
00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:54,400
Welcome to flight 23.
761
00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:56,800
Please make sure your seat belts
are securely fashioned,
762
00:33:56,800 --> 00:33:59,440
and extinguish
all smoking materials.
763
00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:08,720
Knight: Then, we had done it
for the first year.
764
00:34:08,720 --> 00:34:10,920
Then everybody's going,
"What are we gonna do now?"
765
00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:13,160
It became so big that
we were worried about it --
766
00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:16,360
just the air would just
go out of it.
767
00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:18,400
Bengtson: You know, if the
Air Jordan 1 was a shoe
768
00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:20,400
that Nike had to get together
in a hurry,
769
00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:23,360
and really rush
to get to market,
770
00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:24,760
and get on Jordan's feet,
771
00:34:24,760 --> 00:34:27,200
the Air Jordan 2
was kind of the opposite.
772
00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:30,800
The Air Jordan 2 came along,
and it was like,
773
00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:32,400
that shoe was pumping,
you know?
774
00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:34,200
It was fly.
It was sleek.
775
00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:36,000
It was well-built.
It was well-designed.
776
00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:37,200
It was the first shoe
that didn't have
777
00:34:37,200 --> 00:34:38,480
the Nike swoosh on it.
778
00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:47,000
♪♪
779
00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:48,480
That was a game-changer,
780
00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:50,560
you know, in terms of,
like, my community.
781
00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:52,360
You know, for sneaker
connoisseurs and ball players,
782
00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:53,840
like, the Jordan 2 was, like,
783
00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:56,200
"Oh, okay.
They got it right now."
784
00:34:56,200 --> 00:35:00,040
Announcer: Air Jordan.
It's all in the imagination.
785
00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:03,560
♪♪
786
00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:06,640
The Air Jordan 2,
when it came out, it was a risk
787
00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:09,200
that most sneaker companies
back then didn't take,
788
00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:10,800
or wouldn't take.
789
00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:13,000
It was almost twice
as expensive.
790
00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:14,720
It was made in Italy.
791
00:35:14,720 --> 00:35:17,240
Bengtson: And you could almost
look at the Air Jordan 2 --
792
00:35:17,240 --> 00:35:19,720
even though it came out
in 1986, a full decade
793
00:35:19,720 --> 00:35:22,840
before Jordan split off
into its own brand --
794
00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:25,120
being sort of
the first sign
795
00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:28,480
that Air Jordan was a thing
in and of itself,
796
00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:31,280
that didn't necessarily need
that Nike swoosh.
797
00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:42,440
Knight:
Well, here's the first poster
we did with Michael Jordan,
798
00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:48,600
which basically was to announce
that he is arriving in Chicago.
799
00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:51,000
This is my favorite shoe
of his.
800
00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:53,400
And this is
the Chicago skyline,
801
00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:58,440
and he's obviously flying over
the skyline into the city.
802
00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:01,000
This was one of the interesting
things about Michael Jordan.
803
00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:05,240
He gave me my own poster
for Christmas.
804
00:36:05,240 --> 00:36:07,120
Maybe that's why
he's a billionaire.
805
00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:19,480
Now, the brilliant thing
about Nike
806
00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:21,360
is that they are
a marketing company,
807
00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:22,680
first and foremost.
808
00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:24,360
Their relationship
with Wieden+Kennedy,
809
00:36:24,360 --> 00:36:27,720
and the ideas behind that
is what makes them special.
810
00:36:27,720 --> 00:36:30,280
And Wieden+Kennedy
really hadn't stepped in
811
00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:33,880
as a marketing group
behind pushing Jordan.
812
00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:36,760
But starting with 3,
they did.
813
00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:38,520
A lot of the things
that made Jordan special
814
00:36:38,520 --> 00:36:42,040
is that the grassroots aspects
of how they approached things.
815
00:36:42,040 --> 00:36:44,040
So, Wieden+Kennedy
tapped into that.
816
00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:45,640
What's happening at
the grassroots level,
817
00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:47,720
as far as, like, you know,
818
00:36:47,720 --> 00:36:51,320
African American society
is concerned?
819
00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:53,200
Who's that new cat?
Who has that fresh breath?
820
00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:55,800
What's that new visual?
What's that new voice?
821
00:36:55,800 --> 00:36:57,000
And their new voice
was in a character
822
00:36:57,000 --> 00:36:58,560
that Spike Lee had created.
823
00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:00,000
You know, when he did with
his first feature film,
824
00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:01,280
"She's Gotta Have It."
825
00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:03,520
You know, is there anyway
to tap into him"
826
00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:04,960
"She's Gotta Have It"
was a love story
827
00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:07,000
not only between Mars Blackmon
and Nola Darling,
828
00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:09,760
but between Mars Blackmon
and his Air Jordans.
829
00:37:09,760 --> 00:37:11,280
And he sort of couldn't decide
between the two.
830
00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:12,800
He kind of wanted
to have both.
831
00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:14,320
You know, I think a lot of kids
in the eighties
832
00:37:14,320 --> 00:37:15,800
could identify with that.
833
00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:18,080
He knew that before a lot
of other people,
834
00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:19,600
you know,
which I think is why
835
00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:22,600
Spike was able to become
as successful as he did.
836
00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:26,000
And -- you know, and I think
Nike and Wieden+Kennedy,
837
00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:28,960
and I think it was Jim Riswold
at Wieden, who recognized that.
838
00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:30,200
Riswold: It was 1987,
839
00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:32,800
and Bill Davenport and I
were down in L.A.
840
00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:36,240
finishing our first spot
with Michael Jordan.
841
00:37:36,240 --> 00:37:39,400
And back then,
all spots with Nike
842
00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:42,200
seemed to be "show
the athlete sweat,
843
00:37:42,200 --> 00:37:44,200
and put a product shot
at the end,
844
00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:46,080
and call it a day."
845
00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:48,800
Announcer: Today at Nike,
we know even more.
846
00:37:48,800 --> 00:37:51,080
We developed one of the most
sophisticated sport
847
00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:54,000
research labs in the world
to let us see,
848
00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:56,800
in detail,
the peculiarities of style,
849
00:37:56,800 --> 00:37:59,200
the dynamics
of foot strike.
850
00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:01,960
And at Nike, we're putting
that knowledge to work,
851
00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:05,440
making shoes that actually
help athletes to run faster.
852
00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:09,080
Riswold: So, we were down there,
doing that commercial.
853
00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:10,680
And we went to a movie.
854
00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:13,840
And there was a trailer
at the beginning of the move
855
00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:17,560
with a guy we'd never heard of
called "Spike Lee,"
856
00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:19,760
selling tube socks
on the sidewalk.
857
00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:21,440
Three for $5.
858
00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:22,680
Hi. I'm Spike Lee.
859
00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:24,800
When I'm not directing,
I do this.
860
00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:27,440
It pays the rent,
puts food on the table,
861
00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:29,400
butter on my
whole wheat bread.
862
00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:31,040
Anyway, I have this new comedy
coming out.
863
00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:33,720
It's a very funny film --
"She's Gotta Have It."
864
00:38:33,720 --> 00:38:35,440
Riswold: That was
a great trailer.
865
00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:38,760
So, you get back to Portland,
and that movie is playing.
866
00:38:38,760 --> 00:38:43,240
And it's about three men
pursuing the same woman.
867
00:38:43,240 --> 00:38:46,760
And one of those men is
the Mars Blackmon character.
868
00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:49,280
And he finally gets the time
to sleep with
869
00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:52,520
the woman of his dreams,
Nola Darling.
870
00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:56,400
And while doing so, he won't
take off his Air Jordans.
871
00:38:56,400 --> 00:39:00,120
Blackmon: Stop. Stop.
No, stop. Stop.
872
00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:03,840
Knight:
He's boffing this girl in bed,
and he's wearing Air Jordans.
873
00:39:03,840 --> 00:39:07,520
And I went "Great," you know,
"nice promo."
874
00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:10,000
And Bill and I
look at each other like
875
00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:11,960
"Are you thinking
what I'm thinking?"
876
00:39:11,960 --> 00:39:15,080
They said, "We ought to do
a TV commercial with him."
877
00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:16,600
We called Spike up.
878
00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:19,240
And that was back when
he answered his own phone.
879
00:39:19,240 --> 00:39:22,840
"Would you be interested
in playing your role,
880
00:39:22,840 --> 00:39:24,520
and directing
Michael Jordan
881
00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:27,960
in a series of Mars Blackmon
and Michael Jordan commercials?"
882
00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:30,920
And I think we could hear him
pee his pants
883
00:39:30,920 --> 00:39:32,240
on the other end
of the line.
884
00:39:32,240 --> 00:39:33,720
"Do I get to
direct him, too?"
885
00:39:33,720 --> 00:39:35,160
-Nola?
-Yes, Mars.
886
00:39:35,160 --> 00:39:36,840
-Nola?
-Yes, Mars.
887
00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:40,200
Is it because he do a vicious
high-flying 360 slam dunk?
888
00:39:40,200 --> 00:39:42,400
-No, Mars.
-Because he's taller than me?
889
00:39:42,400 --> 00:39:44,040
No, Mars.
890
00:39:44,040 --> 00:39:45,800
Because he's loved, adored,
and worshiped by millions?
891
00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:48,480
-No, Mars.
-Nola, what is it?
892
00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:53,080
It's because he's got
the new Air Jordans, Mars.
893
00:39:53,080 --> 00:39:55,200
Oh sweat, oh sweat,
oh sweat.
894
00:39:55,200 --> 00:39:56,840
Nike, you got to
hook me up.
895
00:39:56,840 --> 00:39:59,200
Spike Lee and
the Mars and Mike campaign
896
00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:00,640
of the 1980s,
897
00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:02,400
playing the character
Mars Blackmon, of course,
898
00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:05,480
from "She's Gotta Have It,"
played an integral part of
899
00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:08,720
making Michael Jordan
believable
900
00:40:08,720 --> 00:40:11,360
while still having
that sense of integrity.
901
00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:13,120
And I think Nike
knew that.
902
00:40:13,120 --> 00:40:14,960
Bengtson: You know, you had
this ready-made character,
903
00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:16,960
you know, and he could come in
and do these commercials,
904
00:40:16,960 --> 00:40:18,520
which were amazing
for their day.
905
00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:20,480
You know, it's like,
you go back and look at, say,
906
00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:22,080
Converse,
with the Weapon.
907
00:40:22,080 --> 00:40:24,400
They had all these guys, like,
do a rap commercial.
908
00:40:24,400 --> 00:40:26,720
♪ For the kind of moves
that never fail ♪
909
00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:29,000
♪ The Weapon's the choice
of Kevin McHale ♪
910
00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:31,200
♪ The same is true
for Mark Aguirre ♪
911
00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:33,360
♪ When I wear Weapons,
I'm on fire ♪
912
00:40:33,360 --> 00:40:35,400
♪ But what can the weapons
do for King? ♪
913
00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:37,280
♪ Why, I can do
just about anything ♪
914
00:40:37,280 --> 00:40:38,880
♪ You already know
what they did for me ♪
915
00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:40,160
ALL: What?
916
00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:41,600
♪ I walked away
with the MVP ♪
917
00:40:41,600 --> 00:40:42,960
Announcer:
Converse Weapon --
918
00:40:42,960 --> 00:40:45,280
The number-one weapon
in the NBA.
919
00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:49,000
And it's like, you're just being
too literal, almost. You know?
920
00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:51,720
And Spike and Mars,
they're coming out
921
00:40:51,720 --> 00:40:53,240
doing these
black-and-white ads,
922
00:40:53,240 --> 00:40:55,960
and like, they were debuted
during all-star weekend.
923
00:40:55,960 --> 00:40:58,160
And, you know,
I remember getting ready
924
00:40:58,160 --> 00:40:59,760
to watch
the NBA all-star game,
925
00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:02,200
and, like, I was excited
about the dunk contest.
926
00:41:02,200 --> 00:41:04,000
But I was super excited
927
00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:06,520
that there would be
a new Air Jordan commercial.
928
00:41:06,520 --> 00:41:08,960
Oh, money, money, why you want
to do that to me?
929
00:41:08,960 --> 00:41:11,120
Why you leave
me hanging?
930
00:41:11,120 --> 00:41:12,680
I got it.
931
00:41:12,680 --> 00:41:14,440
Oh.
932
00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:18,440
The big thing about what that
campaign taught us was, again,
933
00:41:18,440 --> 00:41:20,960
that you could have fun
with this stuff,
934
00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:25,240
and to look at
the athlete as, like --
935
00:41:25,240 --> 00:41:28,200
this sounds crass,
but as the product.
936
00:41:28,200 --> 00:41:30,560
What makes
this person unique?
937
00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:34,880
Why could only Jordan be in that
campaign with Mars Blackmon?
938
00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:37,440
Yo, Mike, what made you
the best player in the universe?
939
00:41:37,440 --> 00:41:39,080
Is it the vicious dunks?
940
00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:41,040
-No, Mars.
-Is it the haircut?
941
00:41:41,040 --> 00:41:43,240
-No, Mars.
-Is it the shoes?
942
00:41:43,240 --> 00:41:44,800
No, Mars.
943
00:41:44,800 --> 00:41:46,400
Knight: The big thing
in marketing of these shoes
944
00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:49,680
is that you've got to let
the kid know that you get it.
945
00:41:49,680 --> 00:41:52,000
But you can't do it
in an obvious, stupid way.
946
00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:54,640
You've got to do it
in a subliminal way.
947
00:41:54,640 --> 00:41:55,880
You sure it's not
the shoes?
948
00:41:55,880 --> 00:41:57,080
I'm sure, Mars.
949
00:41:57,080 --> 00:41:59,120
-What about the shoes?
-No, Mars.
950
00:41:59,120 --> 00:42:01,400
Using Spike Lee,
that's what that did.
951
00:42:01,400 --> 00:42:03,680
And you just knew right there,
just to see that,
952
00:42:03,680 --> 00:42:07,480
and that magic, you just went,
"This is gonna work.
953
00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:08,960
We're blessed."
954
00:42:08,960 --> 00:42:10,760
That's exactly
what I told Wieden
955
00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:12,360
when I called him after
we were done shooting this.
956
00:42:12,360 --> 00:42:15,800
I said, "Wieden all I can tell
you is, 'we're blessed.'"
957
00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:18,840
Jackson:
And the nine commercials
they did for the 3,
958
00:42:18,840 --> 00:42:22,080
the 4, and the 5 --
brilliant.
959
00:42:22,080 --> 00:42:24,040
It's just brilliant
marketing, man.
960
00:42:24,040 --> 00:42:25,400
You know,
and for Wieden+Kennedy
961
00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:27,400
to let Spike
just do his thing.
962
00:42:27,400 --> 00:42:29,840
You know, and let Spike
and Mars and Michael
963
00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:32,320
develop a relationship.
964
00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:34,600
It worked.
It worked beautifully.
965
00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:37,080
Yo, professor, how does Mike
defy gravity?
966
00:42:37,080 --> 00:42:39,280
Do you know? Do you know?
Do you know? Do you know?
967
00:42:39,280 --> 00:42:41,600
Michael Jordan overcomes
the acceleration of gravity
968
00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:44,400
by the application of his muscle
power in the vertical plain,
969
00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:47,960
thus producing a low altitude
Earth orbit.
970
00:42:47,960 --> 00:42:50,240
A what?
-Do you know what I mean?
971
00:42:50,240 --> 00:42:54,000
Do you know? Do you know?
Do you know?
972
00:42:54,000 --> 00:42:56,880
Knight: What the hell
is Nike doing?
973
00:42:56,880 --> 00:43:01,000
This wasn't Spike
40 years later,
974
00:43:01,000 --> 00:43:02,640
winning academy awards,
975
00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:05,000
and becoming one of the greatest
directors in the world.
976
00:43:05,000 --> 00:43:07,960
This was Spike as a young guy,
you know, coming right off of
977
00:43:07,960 --> 00:43:10,200
"Do The Right Thing,"
and all these things,
978
00:43:10,200 --> 00:43:13,640
where America, again,
was in unrest.
979
00:43:13,640 --> 00:43:15,720
We're in now
the eighties.
980
00:43:15,720 --> 00:43:18,200
And we're putting a black guy
on television
981
00:43:18,200 --> 00:43:19,880
to sell shoes
to white America.
982
00:43:19,880 --> 00:43:22,840
Most sneaker heads
will look at those spots,
983
00:43:22,840 --> 00:43:26,800
and say those are the best
basketball commercials ever.
984
00:43:26,800 --> 00:43:32,000
And I really think those ads
reshaped Nike advertising.
985
00:43:32,000 --> 00:43:35,400
And I think it introduced Nike
into popular culture,
986
00:43:35,400 --> 00:43:38,440
rather than just the top pyramid
of, you know,
987
00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:40,200
high-performance athletes.
988
00:43:40,200 --> 00:43:43,280
I mean, this was the Nike
for the rest of us.
989
00:43:43,280 --> 00:43:46,840
See, that's the thing that
really happened, was Spike Lee.
990
00:43:46,840 --> 00:43:50,840
Spike Lee, in my opinion,
991
00:43:50,840 --> 00:43:56,040
is the father of what you call
this sneaker culture.
992
00:43:56,040 --> 00:43:58,360
He would be the father.
993
00:43:58,360 --> 00:44:03,560
Because no Spike,
no commercials about the shoes.
994
00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:04,760
Let me repeat myself.
995
00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:05,960
This you can buy.
996
00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:07,160
You cannot do this.
997
00:44:07,160 --> 00:44:09,120
Can.
Can't.
998
00:44:09,120 --> 00:44:11,520
Can.
999
00:44:11,520 --> 00:44:14,880
Kent: It ain't the shoes,
it's Michael Jordan, but no.
1000
00:44:14,880 --> 00:44:18,280
You believe, now,
it's the shoes.
1001
00:44:18,280 --> 00:44:20,160
Spike Lee happened.
1002
00:44:20,160 --> 00:44:21,440
When he got in
"Do The Right Thing,"
1003
00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:23,840
and said
"my sneakers are broke,"
1004
00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:26,400
the sneakers
were a character.
1005
00:44:26,400 --> 00:44:28,360
Yo!
1006
00:44:28,360 --> 00:44:29,720
Man: Yeah?
1007
00:44:36,760 --> 00:44:38,000
Yo, you almost
knocked me down, man.
1008
00:44:38,000 --> 00:44:39,240
The word is
"excuse me."
1009
00:44:39,240 --> 00:44:41,000
Oh, excuse me.
I'm sorry.
1010
00:44:41,000 --> 00:44:42,920
Not only just that but now you
stood on my brand-new [bleep]
1011
00:44:42,920 --> 00:44:44,520
Air Jordans
that I just [bleep] bought.
1012
00:44:44,520 --> 00:44:46,320
And that's all you can say,
is "excuse me"?
1013
00:44:46,320 --> 00:44:47,800
-What you [bleep] serious?
-Yeah, I'm serious.
1014
00:44:47,800 --> 00:44:49,000
I'll [bleep] you up quick
two times.
1015
00:44:49,000 --> 00:44:50,280
Two times.
1016
00:44:50,280 --> 00:44:51,520
Who told you to step
on my sneakers?
1017
00:44:51,520 --> 00:44:53,920
Yo, man, your Jordans
are [bleep] up.
1018
00:44:53,920 --> 00:44:56,560
Damn, man, you might have
to throw them kicks out.
1019
00:44:56,560 --> 00:44:59,280
"You broke my Jordans
'cause you stepped on them."
1020
00:44:59,280 --> 00:45:03,400
Not "You broke my sneakers,"
"You broke my Jordans."
1021
00:45:03,400 --> 00:45:05,120
The Jordans became
a character.
1022
00:45:05,120 --> 00:45:07,960
Knight: I asked Michael later
about the Spike Lee time.
1023
00:45:07,960 --> 00:45:09,680
He liked the guy.
He thought he was okay.
1024
00:45:09,680 --> 00:45:11,640
He didn't particularly think
the commercials were any good,
1025
00:45:11,640 --> 00:45:13,440
but he thought
the guy was funny.
1026
00:45:15,600 --> 00:45:19,200
Action.
Spike Lee.
1027
00:45:19,200 --> 00:45:21,120
No one did for marketing
1028
00:45:21,120 --> 00:45:24,320
what Nike and Michael
did for marketing.
1029
00:45:24,320 --> 00:45:25,920
Nobody.
1030
00:45:25,920 --> 00:45:29,080
Bengtson: I mean, he became
the face of everything.
1031
00:45:29,080 --> 00:45:31,280
Falk: We weren't trying
to do anything
1032
00:45:31,280 --> 00:45:34,080
other than take advantage
of his personality.
1033
00:45:34,080 --> 00:45:35,480
So, his first three deals,
1034
00:45:35,480 --> 00:45:36,880
as someone who starred
in the Olympics,
1035
00:45:36,880 --> 00:45:39,200
were Coca-Cola,
McDonald's, and Chevrolet.
1036
00:45:39,200 --> 00:45:41,680
I mean, you can't get any more
all-American than that.
1037
00:45:41,680 --> 00:45:43,520
And the fact that he was
African American
1038
00:45:43,520 --> 00:45:45,240
broke all
the barriers.
1039
00:45:45,240 --> 00:45:48,520
Williams: Jordan was this 6'6"
black man with a bald head,
1040
00:45:48,520 --> 00:45:50,280
very dark-skinned,
dark-complected.
1041
00:45:50,280 --> 00:45:53,040
That same guy without the name
Michael Jordan
1042
00:45:53,040 --> 00:45:55,360
walking down the streets
of suburban America
1043
00:45:55,360 --> 00:45:57,040
would have been seen
as a threat.
1044
00:45:57,040 --> 00:46:00,040
And so, how were they able
to make him not intimidating?
1045
00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:03,800
So, they had these kind of
Jordan rules of marketing in,
1046
00:46:03,800 --> 00:46:05,200
you know,
the way they showed him.
1047
00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:08,200
They embodied why Jordan
was able to penetrate,
1048
00:46:08,200 --> 00:46:10,640
and get into white America,
because he made white America
1049
00:46:10,640 --> 00:46:13,800
feel as if he was
just like them.
1050
00:46:13,800 --> 00:46:17,360
And I think Nike,
Hanes, Ballpark, Gatorade
1051
00:46:17,360 --> 00:46:20,560
did a fabulous job
of really crafting this brand
1052
00:46:20,560 --> 00:46:24,760
to a lot of white people
to accept him into their homes.
1053
00:46:28,960 --> 00:46:33,240
Williams:
He made white America feel
as if he was just like them.
1054
00:46:33,240 --> 00:46:36,840
And I think Nike,
Hanes, Ballpark, Gatorade
1055
00:46:36,840 --> 00:46:40,000
did a fabulous job
of really crafting this brand
1056
00:46:40,000 --> 00:46:42,600
to a lot of white people
to accept him into their homes.
1057
00:46:42,600 --> 00:46:45,360
Woman: Michael Jordan
used to be a superstar.
1058
00:46:45,360 --> 00:46:46,800
Now I'm an Ultra Star.
1059
00:46:46,800 --> 00:46:50,200
-Ultra soft...
-Is Ultra Star.
1060
00:46:50,200 --> 00:46:53,520
-Ultra clean...
-Is Ultra Star.
1061
00:46:53,520 --> 00:46:55,920
Announcer: The ultra
in men's haircare.
1062
00:46:55,920 --> 00:46:57,480
-Ultra sexy.
1063
00:46:57,480 --> 00:46:59,600
-He's Ultra Star.
1064
00:46:59,600 --> 00:47:03,840
Jackson:
You know, so to see a young
black dude come into that space,
1065
00:47:03,840 --> 00:47:06,200
and be able to sell America
about everything,
1066
00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:08,800
and make it
believable was,
1067
00:47:08,800 --> 00:47:12,800
you know,
areas uncharted for us.
1068
00:47:12,800 --> 00:47:15,560
You know, Ali was huge,
you know, for us.
1069
00:47:15,560 --> 00:47:17,360
Jackie Robinson
was huge for us.
1070
00:47:17,360 --> 00:47:20,600
Reggie Jackson was massive,
you know, for a black community.
1071
00:47:20,600 --> 00:47:22,520
But at some point,
there was still a disconnect
1072
00:47:22,520 --> 00:47:24,120
between, you know,
general America --
1073
00:47:24,120 --> 00:47:26,960
especially white America --
and those athletes.
1074
00:47:26,960 --> 00:47:29,000
You know, a lot of times,
you had to remove the blackness
1075
00:47:29,000 --> 00:47:30,360
for them to remove the blackness
1076
00:47:30,360 --> 00:47:31,760
in order for them
to see this person
1077
00:47:31,760 --> 00:47:33,800
as being what they would say
just American.
1078
00:47:33,800 --> 00:47:35,720
Ever need to
rent a car fast?
1079
00:47:35,720 --> 00:47:39,680
♪ Nobody does it better ♪
1080
00:47:39,680 --> 00:47:41,680
In order for America to accept
that black person,
1081
00:47:41,680 --> 00:47:44,680
there had to be some level of
this person
1082
00:47:44,680 --> 00:47:46,760
conforming to
the other side,
1083
00:47:46,760 --> 00:47:48,280
and distancing themselves
1084
00:47:48,280 --> 00:47:51,160
from their quote,
unquote "blackness."
1085
00:47:51,160 --> 00:47:52,960
Nobody has more of what it takes
to get you
1086
00:47:52,960 --> 00:47:57,040
into a new LTV
or other fine car faster.
1087
00:47:57,040 --> 00:48:00,480
For the non-African American
side of this country
1088
00:48:00,480 --> 00:48:04,160
to accept him,
and find comfort in who he was.
1089
00:48:04,160 --> 00:48:06,960
And I think it also came with
a sense of authenticity
1090
00:48:06,960 --> 00:48:08,400
that Michael didn't try
to sell himself
1091
00:48:08,400 --> 00:48:10,200
out of who he was
as a person.
1092
00:48:10,200 --> 00:48:13,080
You know, Michael never tried
to be something that he wasn't.
1093
00:48:13,080 --> 00:48:14,280
He was like,
"You're gonna accept me
1094
00:48:14,280 --> 00:48:16,000
for who I am in America."
1095
00:48:16,000 --> 00:48:21,640
And I think America somehow
tapped into that sensibility.
1096
00:48:21,640 --> 00:48:23,680
We tapped into
this authenticity.
1097
00:48:23,680 --> 00:48:26,680
You can say a lot of things
about Michael Jordan.
1098
00:48:26,680 --> 00:48:29,640
He is by no means Malcolm X,
alright?
1099
00:48:29,640 --> 00:48:33,160
He chose to be silent
on things.
1100
00:48:33,160 --> 00:48:36,320
But you never sensed
that he rejected being black.
1101
00:48:36,320 --> 00:48:38,840
Like, you felt like he was
very proud of being black.
1102
00:48:38,840 --> 00:48:41,280
And while I know Jordan
will never be considered
1103
00:48:41,280 --> 00:48:43,520
to be some kind of
revolutionary,
1104
00:48:43,520 --> 00:48:45,800
what he did, in terms
of global marketing,
1105
00:48:45,800 --> 00:48:50,160
and giving other black athletes
a blueprint to do that,
1106
00:48:50,160 --> 00:48:52,400
was quite revolutionary.
1107
00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:55,080
And showing other brands
that you can put a black face
1108
00:48:55,080 --> 00:48:58,760
on a Fortune 500 company,
and make a ton of money.
1109
00:48:58,760 --> 00:49:01,080
I don't want to say his marking
is overstated,
1110
00:49:01,080 --> 00:49:03,200
because, obviously,
that was a big deal.
1111
00:49:03,200 --> 00:49:05,840
But at the same time, you know,
I think it can't be said enough,
1112
00:49:05,840 --> 00:49:08,800
like,
what he did on the court
1113
00:49:08,800 --> 00:49:12,120
still was what mattered
more than anything.
1114
00:49:12,120 --> 00:49:15,440
If he didn't perform
on the court the way he did,
1115
00:49:15,440 --> 00:49:16,800
those shoes
wouldn't have sold.
1116
00:49:16,800 --> 00:49:22,200
♪♪
1117
00:49:22,200 --> 00:49:25,280
Bengtson:
The fact that he came out,
and was as good as he was,
1118
00:49:25,280 --> 00:49:27,040
and was as photogenic
as he was,
1119
00:49:27,040 --> 00:49:30,960
and was as, you know,
transcendent as he was,
1120
00:49:30,960 --> 00:49:32,600
that's what made
all the difference.
1121
00:49:32,600 --> 00:49:35,040
Those brilliant ads
don't translate
1122
00:49:35,040 --> 00:49:37,160
with Michael Jordan
coming off the bench.
1123
00:49:37,160 --> 00:49:39,600
It sure as hell
made my job easy.
1124
00:49:39,600 --> 00:49:40,880
I mean, you just watch
what he did,
1125
00:49:40,880 --> 00:49:42,400
and then you make
a spot about it.
1126
00:49:42,400 --> 00:49:51,000
♪♪
1127
00:49:51,000 --> 00:49:53,040
Jackson: If you look at the year
Michael had in '88,
1128
00:49:53,040 --> 00:49:54,640
when they released
the 3,
1129
00:49:54,640 --> 00:49:57,120
that quietly can be
one of the greatest seasons
1130
00:49:57,120 --> 00:49:58,760
anybody has ever had.
1131
00:50:00,840 --> 00:50:02,400
You don't win MVP,
1132
00:50:02,400 --> 00:50:05,480
scoring title,
Defensive player of the Year,
1133
00:50:05,480 --> 00:50:08,360
All-star MVP,
you know what I'm saying?
1134
00:50:08,360 --> 00:50:11,600
There's nothing else
that guy didn't win that year,
1135
00:50:11,600 --> 00:50:15,600
with the exception of a finals
MVP and a championship.
1136
00:50:15,600 --> 00:50:18,400
We had never seen
a season like that.
1137
00:50:18,400 --> 00:50:20,920
Everything he was doing
correlated to those shoes.
1138
00:50:20,920 --> 00:50:22,840
And we bought into that
because what was the tag line
1139
00:50:22,840 --> 00:50:24,200
they were selling us?
1140
00:50:24,200 --> 00:50:26,680
"Is it the shoes?
Is it the shoes?"
1141
00:50:26,680 --> 00:50:28,760
Mars Blackmon keep ingraining
that in our head.
1142
00:50:28,760 --> 00:50:30,240
"Is it the shoes?"
1143
00:50:30,240 --> 00:50:34,160
And that concept played into
his entire career,
1144
00:50:34,160 --> 00:50:35,720
as far as his shoes
were concerned.
1145
00:50:35,720 --> 00:50:38,160
What did Michael do
in those particular shoes?
1146
00:50:38,160 --> 00:50:41,200
And the moments he would have
in certain shoes
1147
00:50:41,200 --> 00:50:44,600
became their own quote,
unquote, "phenomenon."
1148
00:50:44,600 --> 00:50:48,040
Every ring he won attached
themselves to the shoes
1149
00:50:48,040 --> 00:50:50,120
he was wearing
when he won those rings.
1150
00:50:50,120 --> 00:50:54,400
In the early nineties, he began
challenging for the NBA title.
1151
00:50:54,400 --> 00:50:56,600
He began winning
on a big level.
1152
00:50:56,600 --> 00:51:06,160
♪♪
1153
00:51:06,160 --> 00:51:15,680
♪♪
1154
00:51:15,680 --> 00:51:17,200
Jackson: What Michael Jordan
was able to do
1155
00:51:17,200 --> 00:51:20,640
on the backs of Julius Erving
and Bird and Magic
1156
00:51:20,640 --> 00:51:23,360
was take it to
that Babe Ruth place,
1157
00:51:23,360 --> 00:51:27,560
where basketball basically
had become ingrained
1158
00:51:27,560 --> 00:51:30,680
in the country's
entire consciousness
1159
00:51:30,680 --> 00:51:32,880
to put it
in a stratosphere
1160
00:51:32,880 --> 00:51:35,720
that we didn't know
this game could exist.
1161
00:51:35,720 --> 00:51:37,760
That's what he
was able to do.
1162
00:51:37,760 --> 00:51:40,640
Telander:
I mean, when I was following
the Bulls, there, at the end --
1163
00:51:40,640 --> 00:51:42,320
you know, I've been
around rock bands too,
1164
00:51:42,320 --> 00:51:44,120
but when I'm following,
there, at the end,
1165
00:51:44,120 --> 00:51:47,360
it was like what the Beetles
were -- people screaming.
1166
00:51:47,360 --> 00:51:49,840
And then,
you had Michael Jordan.
1167
00:51:49,840 --> 00:51:53,960
You had Paul and John
rolled into one.
1168
00:51:53,960 --> 00:51:55,800
Jackson: It was equivalent to,
like, you know,
1169
00:51:55,800 --> 00:51:58,520
what is the Isley Brothers'
next album?
1170
00:51:58,520 --> 00:52:00,400
What's the next
Stevie Wonder project?
1171
00:52:00,400 --> 00:52:02,520
What's Michael Jackson
gonna follow up,
1172
00:52:02,520 --> 00:52:05,000
you know,
"Thriller" with?
1173
00:52:05,000 --> 00:52:06,600
That's what Jordan
was like.
1174
00:52:06,600 --> 00:52:08,520
You know, alright,
it was on that level.
1175
00:52:08,520 --> 00:52:11,000
You know, it was sort of
a time when a lot of
1176
00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:14,840
African American contributions
became much more mainstream.
1177
00:52:14,840 --> 00:52:17,040
You know, you had Prince.
You had Michael Jackson.
1178
00:52:17,040 --> 00:52:18,240
You know,
and Michael Jordan,
1179
00:52:18,240 --> 00:52:21,200
he was basketball's
version of that.
1180
00:52:21,200 --> 00:52:22,640
Williams:
You saw Jordan everywhere.
1181
00:52:22,640 --> 00:52:24,680
He had so many
brand associations.
1182
00:52:24,680 --> 00:52:28,400
And so, it made
you want to be like Jordan.
1183
00:52:28,400 --> 00:52:31,320
And so, you had kids
trying to emulate him,
1184
00:52:31,320 --> 00:52:33,160
you know,
in everything they did --
1185
00:52:33,160 --> 00:52:34,920
not just on
the basketball courts,
1186
00:52:34,920 --> 00:52:37,720
on the streets,
but also in their life.
1187
00:52:37,720 --> 00:52:39,400
And the Jordan brand,
the sneaker,
1188
00:52:39,400 --> 00:52:41,480
it really allowed us
to be able to do that
1189
00:52:41,480 --> 00:52:43,360
for the first time.
1190
00:52:43,360 --> 00:52:46,000
Telander:
We recognized something
in Michael Jordan instinctively,
1191
00:52:46,000 --> 00:52:48,200
that this was beauty,
and that I wanted some of that.
1192
00:52:48,200 --> 00:52:49,680
How can I
get close to it?
1193
00:52:49,680 --> 00:52:51,080
How can I get
ahold of this?
1194
00:52:51,080 --> 00:52:52,920
So, with this rampant
consumerism,
1195
00:52:52,920 --> 00:52:55,960
the shoes that had never
been marketed this way,
1196
00:52:55,960 --> 00:52:57,600
the advertisement
they had,
1197
00:52:57,600 --> 00:53:00,840
you said, "Damn, man,
I can't be Michael Jordan
1198
00:53:00,840 --> 00:53:04,000
but I can have this piece
of what he represents."
1199
00:53:04,000 --> 00:53:05,920
Williams: I mean, you think
about its impact on even,
1200
00:53:05,920 --> 00:53:08,200
you know, pop culture
and hip hop.
1201
00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:11,920
I mean, it's hard press
to find any rapper's catalog,
1202
00:53:11,920 --> 00:53:14,800
and he doesn't mention
Jordan at some point.
1203
00:53:14,800 --> 00:53:17,360
You think about probably
the most beloved black sitcom
1204
00:53:17,360 --> 00:53:19,400
of the 1990s,
"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
1205
00:53:19,400 --> 00:53:21,880
Right there in the opening
credits, what is he wearing?
1206
00:53:21,880 --> 00:53:24,800
You know, the Jordan shoe,
I believe it was the Jordan 5.
1207
00:53:24,800 --> 00:53:27,120
♪ Now, this is a story
all about how ♪
1208
00:53:27,120 --> 00:53:29,560
♪ My life got flipped
turned upside down ♪
1209
00:53:29,560 --> 00:53:31,920
♪ And I'd like to take a minute,
just sit right there ♪
1210
00:53:31,920 --> 00:53:34,800
♪ I'll tell you how
I became the prince of
a town called Bel-Air ♪
1211
00:53:34,800 --> 00:53:38,400
And also, what had happened
in the last 20 years
1212
00:53:38,400 --> 00:53:40,160
are the shoe collectors.
1213
00:53:40,160 --> 00:53:43,160
And it became fanatical
to get them.
1214
00:53:43,160 --> 00:53:46,000
Powell: So, the retro is
really based on products
1215
00:53:46,000 --> 00:53:48,200
that emulate
the original product.
1216
00:53:48,200 --> 00:53:51,520
We don't make shoes like we did
in 1985 any longer.
1217
00:53:51,520 --> 00:53:54,360
So, we can't make the shoe
exactly like it was
1218
00:53:54,360 --> 00:53:55,960
with the Jordan 1.
1219
00:53:55,960 --> 00:53:58,720
But we make shoes that look
like the Jordan 1.
1220
00:53:58,720 --> 00:54:00,280
So, when we talk about
a retro shoe,
1221
00:54:00,280 --> 00:54:03,160
it's a shoe that's very close
to the original product.
1222
00:54:03,160 --> 00:54:06,680
And the bulk of the Jordan sales
were coming out of retro.
1223
00:54:06,680 --> 00:54:12,800
I mean, I'm confounded by
the rapidity of the whole thing.
1224
00:54:21,680 --> 00:54:25,280
I believe I'm the biggest
collector of Air Jordan shoes
1225
00:54:25,280 --> 00:54:26,920
in the United States.
1226
00:54:26,920 --> 00:54:32,080
Currently, I have 1,175 shoes
in my collection.
1227
00:54:32,080 --> 00:54:33,680
They start in a corner
back there,
1228
00:54:33,680 --> 00:54:35,800
and they just come all the way
around by the numbers.
1229
00:54:35,800 --> 00:54:38,720
I have some spaces
in between.
1230
00:54:38,720 --> 00:54:41,480
If I pick up new shoes,
I won't have to just move
1231
00:54:41,480 --> 00:54:43,200
all of the cases
all the way around.
1232
00:54:43,200 --> 00:54:45,880
But my favorites
are the 8s.
1233
00:54:45,880 --> 00:54:47,600
I call them
"the great 8s."
1234
00:54:47,600 --> 00:54:52,600
That was his greatest playoff
season of the six championships.
1235
00:54:52,600 --> 00:54:55,520
Back in 1985,
I was in college.
1236
00:54:55,520 --> 00:55:01,000
I had watched MJ from 1981,
and he went to the NBA.
1237
00:55:01,000 --> 00:55:04,360
And then, I saw these
red and white shoes.
1238
00:55:04,360 --> 00:55:06,800
That was the first shoe I bought
with my own money.
1239
00:55:06,800 --> 00:55:09,640
I wear them on the first
of every year.
1240
00:55:09,640 --> 00:55:11,320
They are from 1985.
1241
00:55:11,320 --> 00:55:13,400
$65.
1242
00:55:13,400 --> 00:55:15,800
That was the price.
But back then, $65,
1243
00:55:15,800 --> 00:55:19,880
this was the most expensive
basketball shoe in 1985.
1244
00:55:19,880 --> 00:55:23,800
Everything that has come after
these was because of this.
1245
00:55:23,800 --> 00:55:28,600
And you know, I have
the Jumpman tattoo on my arm.
1246
00:55:28,600 --> 00:55:31,920
It's his style of play.
It's his passion.
1247
00:55:31,920 --> 00:55:35,400
And it's also what he did
as a basketball player
1248
00:55:35,400 --> 00:55:39,000
in these shoes, you know,
is what means a lot to me.
1249
00:55:39,000 --> 00:55:42,400
And for me, it's more than just
the shoes, you know?
1250
00:55:42,400 --> 00:55:44,200
It's the memorabilia, too.
1251
00:55:44,200 --> 00:55:47,600
I have the Wheaties boxes,
and...
1252
00:55:47,600 --> 00:55:48,880
[ Rattles ]
1253
00:55:48,880 --> 00:55:50,920
I never took the seal
off of it.
1254
00:55:50,920 --> 00:55:52,960
It was just a collector's
piece to me.
1255
00:55:52,960 --> 00:55:56,400
And now, I have
18 different boxes,
1256
00:55:56,400 --> 00:55:59,840
from the mini boxes
to the big boxes.
1257
00:55:59,840 --> 00:56:03,720
And I've been offered
tens of thousands of dollars
1258
00:56:03,720 --> 00:56:06,000
just for these
cereal boxes.
1259
00:56:06,000 --> 00:56:08,000
Original Gatorade bottle.
1260
00:56:08,000 --> 00:56:10,600
This has been here
since 1992.
1261
00:56:10,600 --> 00:56:12,480
Never popped the top on it.
1262
00:56:12,480 --> 00:56:15,200
Wouldn't recommend
drinking this.
1263
00:56:15,200 --> 00:56:19,000
I've been doing this for,
you know, 33-plus years.
1264
00:56:19,000 --> 00:56:20,320
I don't get free stuff.
1265
00:56:20,320 --> 00:56:21,960
This is stuff
that I've bought.
1266
00:56:21,960 --> 00:56:23,720
This is all blood,
sweat, and tears.
1267
00:56:23,720 --> 00:56:27,080
This is something
that I've taken on since 1985,
1268
00:56:27,080 --> 00:56:28,400
that I like to do.
1269
00:56:28,400 --> 00:56:30,040
I like to change shoes.
1270
00:56:30,040 --> 00:56:32,760
Sometimes, I change my shoes
three or four times a day,
1271
00:56:32,760 --> 00:56:35,240
just so I can get a chance
to wear everything.
1272
00:56:35,240 --> 00:56:39,560
But 1,175 pairs, I might not
get to wear a shoe again
1273
00:56:39,560 --> 00:56:41,320
for three years.
1274
00:56:41,320 --> 00:56:44,160
The insurance policy
for my entire collection,
1275
00:56:44,160 --> 00:56:46,680
everything -- shoes,
memorabilia, everything --
1276
00:56:46,680 --> 00:56:49,280
is over $1 million.
1277
00:56:49,280 --> 00:56:54,400
It's just so much history and
passion behind collecting shoes
1278
00:56:54,400 --> 00:56:58,320
that I'm in it
till the end.
1279
00:56:58,320 --> 00:56:59,760
I'm not gonna stop.
1280
00:56:59,760 --> 00:57:01,200
Salman:
I mean, it's addiction.
1281
00:57:01,200 --> 00:57:03,640
It's -- You know, anybody
who does stuff like that,
1282
00:57:03,640 --> 00:57:05,480
it's partially addiction.
1283
00:57:05,480 --> 00:57:06,720
You know, it could be good,
it could be bad,
1284
00:57:06,720 --> 00:57:07,920
but it's an addiction.
1285
00:57:07,920 --> 00:57:09,360
It becomes a habit.
1286
00:57:09,360 --> 00:57:12,280
It becomes, like,
you know, a contest,
1287
00:57:12,280 --> 00:57:14,240
and a competition
for a lot of these people.
1288
00:57:14,240 --> 00:57:20,080
♪♪
1289
00:57:20,080 --> 00:57:22,640
[ Speaks Japanese ]
1290
00:57:43,200 --> 00:57:46,760
Ruddy: For sure, I haven't worn
any of the Jordan 1s here.
1291
00:57:46,760 --> 00:57:48,760
My intent was not
to wear them.
1292
00:57:48,760 --> 00:57:52,320
My intent was to make a line-up
of the shoes,
1293
00:57:52,320 --> 00:57:56,240
and to have a nice display
in my home
1294
00:57:56,240 --> 00:57:59,200
and so that I could watch them
after work,
1295
00:57:59,200 --> 00:58:02,120
like you watch TV,
and just enjoy.
1296
00:58:02,120 --> 00:58:04,320
The addiction was fueled
because of Jordan.
1297
00:58:04,320 --> 00:58:06,560
Jordan is an amazing guy.
1298
00:58:06,560 --> 00:58:07,920
When you look at this box,
1299
00:58:07,920 --> 00:58:10,400
it's hard to keep
a box like this,
1300
00:58:10,400 --> 00:58:12,800
for 30 years,
in this condition.
1301
00:58:12,800 --> 00:58:15,240
That's the original paper.
1302
00:58:15,240 --> 00:58:17,800
You see?
1303
00:58:17,800 --> 00:58:20,200
You can smell it.
You can smell time.
1304
00:58:20,200 --> 00:58:21,880
You can smell history.
1305
00:58:21,880 --> 00:58:25,760
Now, when I tell you I spend
$8,000 just for these two shoes.
1306
00:58:25,760 --> 00:58:30,400
Yeah, when I have a set back,
I realize, yeah,
1307
00:58:30,400 --> 00:58:35,200
it's out of control
to spend that much money.
1308
00:58:35,200 --> 00:58:36,400
Yeah.
1309
00:58:36,400 --> 00:58:38,480
It's this modern
American story.
1310
00:58:38,480 --> 00:58:42,040
I mean, you have -- in the turn
of the 19th century you had,
1311
00:58:42,040 --> 00:58:43,800
you know,
your C.W. Post for Post Cereal
1312
00:58:43,800 --> 00:58:45,520
and your
John and Will Kellogg,
1313
00:58:45,520 --> 00:58:48,000
and how they created Kellogg's,
and your Milton Hershey's.
1314
00:58:48,000 --> 00:58:49,840
You say Hershey bar, but you're
talking about Milton Hershey.
1315
00:58:49,840 --> 00:58:51,360
You're talking about a man.
1316
00:58:51,360 --> 00:58:52,920
You' talking about Ford,
you're talking about a man.
1317
00:58:52,920 --> 00:58:55,400
You think about all these brands
that we consume,
1318
00:58:55,400 --> 00:58:57,520
and we don't even
make them synonymous
1319
00:58:57,520 --> 00:58:59,640
with the people that
created them, but they are.
1320
00:58:59,640 --> 00:59:01,160
And now,
for the first time,
1321
00:59:01,160 --> 00:59:03,560
black people have that
with the Jordan brand.
1322
00:59:03,560 --> 00:59:05,440
And so, I think,
what we were able to see
1323
00:59:05,440 --> 00:59:08,720
is something in modern day
that we've never seen before.
1324
00:59:08,720 --> 00:59:11,960
Can you really name
another black founded
1325
00:59:11,960 --> 00:59:14,160
controlled brand
like that?
1326
00:59:14,160 --> 00:59:15,920
That is just synonymous
with one name,
1327
00:59:15,920 --> 00:59:17,520
that lives and breathes
on it's own?
1328
00:59:17,520 --> 00:59:20,440
I think that's why
the African Americans
1329
00:59:20,440 --> 00:59:21,800
love it so much,
and they covet it,
1330
00:59:21,800 --> 00:59:24,360
because it's kind of
our brand.
1331
00:59:24,360 --> 00:59:25,840
Lazenby:
People all over the globe,
1332
00:59:25,840 --> 00:59:28,440
obviously, are collecting
these shoes.
1333
00:59:28,440 --> 00:59:30,880
And what happens
when things are collected?
1334
00:59:30,880 --> 00:59:34,240
It drives up
the value.
1335
00:59:34,240 --> 00:59:36,440
And now, people are taking
these Air Jordans,
1336
00:59:36,440 --> 00:59:38,280
they're wearing them
with tuxedos.
1337
00:59:38,280 --> 00:59:41,120
Something had happened,
and it all filtered through
1338
00:59:41,120 --> 00:59:43,400
the world of Nike
1339
00:59:43,400 --> 00:59:45,400
and the world
of Michael Jordan himself.
1340
00:59:45,400 --> 00:59:49,000
And if you're a kid, your status
symbol was your $100 sneakers.
1341
00:59:49,000 --> 00:59:52,360
You're not buying something
like that to hide it.
1342
00:59:52,360 --> 00:59:56,600
The shoes gained, very quickly,
a huge street value
1343
00:59:56,600 --> 00:59:58,160
in American culture.
1344
00:59:58,160 --> 01:00:02,080
And so, suddenly, it spawned
violence and robbery.
1345
01:00:02,080 --> 01:00:04,200
Hill:
The demand of his product,
1346
01:00:04,200 --> 01:00:05,920
and products with
his name on it,
1347
01:00:05,920 --> 01:00:09,760
had reached a point where crimes
were basically being committed
1348
01:00:09,760 --> 01:00:13,120
to obtain product
that he was selling.
1349
01:00:16,160 --> 01:00:18,760
Telander:
There's always been style,
and there's always been people
1350
01:00:18,760 --> 01:00:20,560
wanting to keep up
with the Jones's.
1351
01:00:20,560 --> 01:00:22,800
I mean, you can go back
to caveman era,
1352
01:00:22,800 --> 01:00:25,800
you know, somebody's got
a cooler cheetah-skin belt on,
1353
01:00:25,800 --> 01:00:27,520
or loin cloth.
1354
01:00:27,520 --> 01:00:29,640
If you want that, you might take
a club, and whack him for it.
1355
01:00:29,640 --> 01:00:31,200
But here we are,
in a civilized society,
1356
01:00:31,200 --> 01:00:33,360
and the Jumpman logo
of the Air Jordans
1357
01:00:33,360 --> 01:00:36,680
had become so important
as a status symbol --
1358
01:00:36,680 --> 01:00:39,320
kids, teenagers
are seeing this status symbol,
1359
01:00:39,320 --> 01:00:41,560
and they're actually killing
each other for these --
1360
01:00:41,560 --> 01:00:42,760
for shoes.
1361
01:00:42,760 --> 01:00:44,480
I mean,
the thing I remember best
1362
01:00:44,480 --> 01:00:47,560
is still Rick Telander's cover
story in Sports Illustrated.
1363
01:00:47,560 --> 01:00:50,120
I feel like the sneakers
were a focal point
1364
01:00:50,120 --> 01:00:53,200
because it was something
relatively new.
1365
01:00:53,200 --> 01:00:55,040
Telander: I think I've got it
in here somewhere.
1366
01:00:55,040 --> 01:00:57,760
I keep all my Sports Illustrated
files up here.
1367
01:00:57,760 --> 01:01:00,560
So, that was 1990.
1368
01:01:00,560 --> 01:01:04,320
Well, I remember the shocking
aspect of this cover.
1369
01:01:04,320 --> 01:01:05,920
You have to look at it.
1370
01:01:05,920 --> 01:01:07,360
It's so dark, and you can't tell
what you're looking at.
1371
01:01:07,360 --> 01:01:09,040
And then, you realize
it's a guy with a gun,
1372
01:01:09,040 --> 01:01:12,320
he's grabbing the shoes that are
hanging over the shoulder.
1373
01:01:12,320 --> 01:01:16,560
I haven't looked at this article
in, I would say, 24 years.
1374
01:01:16,560 --> 01:01:17,760
It's mind-blowing.
1375
01:01:17,760 --> 01:01:20,320
I mean, it really is.
1376
01:01:20,320 --> 01:01:24,880
Is it the shoes? Money?
It's got to be the shoes.
1377
01:01:24,880 --> 01:01:28,800
It's Mars Blackmon to Michael
Jordan in a Nike commercial.
1378
01:01:28,800 --> 01:01:31,200
"For 15-year-old
Michael Eugene Thomas,
1379
01:01:31,200 --> 01:01:33,360
it definitely was
the shoes.
1380
01:01:33,360 --> 01:01:35,960
A ninth grader
at Meade Senior High School,
1381
01:01:35,960 --> 01:01:40,400
Thomas was found strangled
on May 2nd, 1989.
1382
01:01:40,400 --> 01:01:45,000
Charged with first-degree murder
was James David Martin, 17,
1383
01:01:45,000 --> 01:01:46,440
a basketball buddy."
1384
01:01:46,440 --> 01:01:49,960
The kid was murdered,
and left in the woods
1385
01:01:49,960 --> 01:01:52,040
for a pair of
two-week old shoes.
1386
01:01:52,040 --> 01:01:54,840
It's just...
1387
01:01:54,840 --> 01:01:56,320
I don't know.
1388
01:01:56,320 --> 01:01:59,480
It's, you know, within it
is something so primitive
1389
01:01:59,480 --> 01:02:02,280
and wrong that it --
it's just obvious.
1390
01:02:02,280 --> 01:02:05,080
But on the other side of it is,
what led you to this?
1391
01:02:05,080 --> 01:02:09,320
What led you to think that that
status symbol could possibly,
1392
01:02:09,320 --> 01:02:12,160
possibly be worth
somebody's life?
1393
01:02:12,160 --> 01:02:13,680
Like so many problems,
1394
01:02:13,680 --> 01:02:15,640
there's an answer
that seems very simple.
1395
01:02:15,640 --> 01:02:16,880
Throw the kid away.
1396
01:02:16,880 --> 01:02:19,760
Put him jail,
throw the key away.
1397
01:02:19,760 --> 01:02:21,960
And there's answers
that are very complex.
1398
01:02:21,960 --> 01:02:24,880
And it's always easy
to take the easy answer,
1399
01:02:24,880 --> 01:02:27,520
and just crack down more
on the law.
1400
01:02:27,520 --> 01:02:29,440
But how about solving
the problems
1401
01:02:29,440 --> 01:02:31,800
that lead somebody to this
in the first place,
1402
01:02:31,800 --> 01:02:35,480
that would feel so dispossessed
that they would think
1403
01:02:35,480 --> 01:02:38,000
that a life
is worth somebody's shoes.
1404
01:02:45,240 --> 01:02:47,040
Telander:
What led you to this?
1405
01:02:47,040 --> 01:02:50,800
What led you to think that that
status symbol could possibly,
1406
01:02:50,800 --> 01:02:53,600
possibly be worth
somebody's life.
1407
01:02:53,600 --> 01:02:55,080
Like so many problems,
1408
01:02:55,080 --> 01:02:57,120
there's an answer
that seems very simple.
1409
01:02:57,120 --> 01:02:58,360
Throw the kid away.
1410
01:02:58,360 --> 01:03:01,200
Put him jail,
throw the key away.
1411
01:03:01,200 --> 01:03:03,400
And there's answers
that are very complex.
1412
01:03:03,400 --> 01:03:06,360
And it's always easy
to take the easy answer,
1413
01:03:06,360 --> 01:03:09,000
and just crack down more
on the law.
1414
01:03:09,000 --> 01:03:10,920
But how about solving
the problems
1415
01:03:10,920 --> 01:03:13,240
that lead somebody to this
in the first place,
1416
01:03:13,240 --> 01:03:16,960
that would feel so dispossessed
that they would think
1417
01:03:16,960 --> 01:03:20,240
that a life
is worth somebody's shoes.
1418
01:03:20,240 --> 01:03:21,960
So, it's really a story
about scarcity.
1419
01:03:21,960 --> 01:03:25,200
The idea is that the brand
sells out every Saturday morning
1420
01:03:25,200 --> 01:03:27,600
when shoes are released,
and consumers come back
1421
01:03:27,600 --> 01:03:29,800
the next Saturday
for another shot at it.
1422
01:03:29,800 --> 01:03:31,560
And it's interesting
we're talking about scarcity
1423
01:03:31,560 --> 01:03:33,240
with a $3 billion brand.
1424
01:03:33,240 --> 01:03:36,600
But they have been able to build
this up over time by making sure
1425
01:03:36,600 --> 01:03:39,400
that they never had enough
supply to meet the demand.
1426
01:03:39,400 --> 01:03:42,800
Lazenby: Are Nike officials
wringing their hands with glee
1427
01:03:42,800 --> 01:03:44,880
over those profits
and growth?
1428
01:03:44,880 --> 01:03:46,120
Yes.
1429
01:03:46,120 --> 01:03:48,800
But that becomes very,
very awkward
1430
01:03:48,800 --> 01:03:52,400
when you consider
the ugly elements of that.
1431
01:03:52,400 --> 01:03:56,720
Once upon a time, not so long
ago, shoes were just shoes.
1432
01:03:56,720 --> 01:03:58,840
And basketball shoes
were no more glamorous
1433
01:03:58,840 --> 01:04:01,280
than any other piece
of sports equipment.
1434
01:04:01,280 --> 01:04:04,480
That was before Michael Jordan
learned how to fly.
1435
01:04:04,480 --> 01:04:06,320
When his success
went through the roof,
1436
01:04:06,320 --> 01:04:09,240
the shoes he endorsed for Nike
went right along with him.
1437
01:04:09,240 --> 01:04:13,480
And now, critics say they are
flying just a little too high.
1438
01:04:13,480 --> 01:04:16,600
Air Jordans are expensive,
exclusive, and hard enough
1439
01:04:16,600 --> 01:04:22,920
to get that some children lie,
steal, even kill for them.
1440
01:04:22,920 --> 01:04:24,360
A boy was robbed
after school.
1441
01:04:24,360 --> 01:04:27,560
It turns out, the bandit
was after his shoes.
1442
01:04:27,560 --> 01:04:29,720
Woman: Part of the problem
is that each store
1443
01:04:29,720 --> 01:04:33,200
has a limited amount
of about 150 pairs.
1444
01:04:33,200 --> 01:04:36,880
Male:
Reporter: He saw a gun under the
guy's shirt, and then a demand.
1445
01:04:36,880 --> 01:04:38,640
Female Reporter:
Each pair costs about $180,
1446
01:04:38,640 --> 01:04:42,160
but they resale on eBay
for almost $500.
1447
01:04:42,160 --> 01:04:45,160
A neighbor killed him
over a pair of Air Jordans.
1448
01:04:45,160 --> 01:04:46,560
He will be
buried tomorrow
1449
01:04:46,560 --> 01:04:49,080
on what would have been
his 17th birthday.
1450
01:04:49,080 --> 01:04:51,320
Man: Two young men had come home
from Willowbrook Mall.
1451
01:04:51,320 --> 01:04:54,240
They had pairs of
the new Air Jordan sneakers.
1452
01:04:54,240 --> 01:04:58,240
Two men attacked them with guns
as they pulled up to this house.
1453
01:04:58,240 --> 01:05:00,040
One of them jumped out,
ran door to door,
1454
01:05:00,040 --> 01:05:01,280
trying to get help,
while the other
1455
01:05:01,280 --> 01:05:03,120
jumped into
the driver's seat,
1456
01:05:03,120 --> 01:05:06,080
tried to drive away, but he was
shot at least once in the head.
1457
01:05:06,080 --> 01:05:08,800
The car careened out of control,
hit the side of this house,
1458
01:05:08,800 --> 01:05:12,600
ruptured a gas line,
and then the gunman got away.
1459
01:05:12,600 --> 01:05:14,000
All of this,
this attack
1460
01:05:14,000 --> 01:05:17,000
was over a pair of
those new Jordan shoes.
1461
01:05:17,000 --> 01:05:19,200
Retail value $185.
1462
01:05:19,200 --> 01:05:21,840
That may be the price
of a young man's life.
1463
01:05:21,840 --> 01:05:29,440
♪♪
1464
01:05:29,440 --> 01:05:32,800
Daisy:
My name is Daisy Williams,
and this mall here is the mall
1465
01:05:32,800 --> 01:05:36,800
that my son went to purchase
his Air Jordan tennis shoes.
1466
01:05:36,800 --> 01:05:39,680
My son left this mall,
headed home,
1467
01:05:39,680 --> 01:05:42,040
but he never made it
safely home to me.
1468
01:05:44,880 --> 01:05:47,800
Four gentlemen followed him
in their own vehicle,
1469
01:05:47,800 --> 01:05:49,640
and they pulled
in front of him,
1470
01:05:49,640 --> 01:05:53,360
and got out the car,
and demanded the shoes.
1471
01:05:53,360 --> 01:05:56,000
They started
shooting at him.
1472
01:05:56,000 --> 01:05:58,880
They shot my son in the head,
and he crashed into a home.
1473
01:05:58,880 --> 01:06:04,440
♪♪
1474
01:06:04,440 --> 01:06:06,400
This is the scene,
right there.
1475
01:06:08,880 --> 01:06:13,080
This is -- oh, this is --
this just brings chills to me.
1476
01:06:13,080 --> 01:06:17,200
I haven't been here -- I haven't
been here in a long time.
1477
01:06:17,200 --> 01:06:21,680
There was about
23 shell casings.
1478
01:06:21,680 --> 01:06:23,240
The shoes were
on the ground.
1479
01:06:23,240 --> 01:06:25,120
Again, there were a pair
of shoes here.
1480
01:06:25,120 --> 01:06:27,280
There were a pair of shoes
over there.
1481
01:06:27,280 --> 01:06:31,840
If you Google man shot and
killed over Air Jordan sneakers,
1482
01:06:31,840 --> 01:06:37,480
it's an actual video
where it shows my son.
1483
01:06:37,480 --> 01:06:39,320
It doesn't show my son
sitting in the car,
1484
01:06:39,320 --> 01:06:42,640
but it shows the car
still running.
1485
01:06:42,640 --> 01:06:45,640
It shows the ambulance
wheeling him around here,
1486
01:06:45,640 --> 01:06:47,000
and putting him
in the car.
1487
01:06:47,000 --> 01:06:48,760
and you can hear my daughter
screaming, like,
1488
01:06:48,760 --> 01:06:51,200
"Let us --
please let us get in with you."
1489
01:06:54,120 --> 01:06:56,640
[ Indistinct shouting ]
1490
01:06:59,240 --> 01:07:00,480
Woman:
I was at home.
1491
01:07:00,480 --> 01:07:02,080
I had just got off the phone
with him,
1492
01:07:02,080 --> 01:07:05,640
like five minutes before.
Told him I loved him,
1493
01:07:05,640 --> 01:07:07,080
And five minutes later,
1494
01:07:07,080 --> 01:07:10,160
his friend called me,
and told me he got shot.
1495
01:07:10,160 --> 01:07:12,400
And when we got to the scene,
I just ran up to the car,
1496
01:07:12,400 --> 01:07:14,240
and I seen him.
1497
01:07:14,240 --> 01:07:16,040
And I just kept saying,
"Josh, you got to get up.
1498
01:07:16,040 --> 01:07:17,800
It's your sister."
1499
01:07:17,800 --> 01:07:19,920
I just kept saying
he had to get up.
1500
01:07:25,000 --> 01:07:26,720
Daisy: And me and my fiance,
his father,
1501
01:07:26,720 --> 01:07:28,440
we was standing behind
the yellow tape.
1502
01:07:28,440 --> 01:07:30,800
And we say "Let's just see, when
they put him on the stretcher,
1503
01:07:30,800 --> 01:07:34,040
will they put
the sheet over him."
1504
01:07:34,040 --> 01:07:36,000
'Cause you look at
the movies,
1505
01:07:36,000 --> 01:07:39,400
if they put that sheet over him,
we know he gone.
1506
01:07:39,400 --> 01:07:41,000
And they took him out.
1507
01:07:41,000 --> 01:07:43,800
They had his face
wrapped up.
1508
01:07:43,800 --> 01:07:45,400
But they never put
the sheets over him.
1509
01:07:45,400 --> 01:07:47,600
And I was like, "Okay,
my son gonna be okay."
1510
01:07:47,600 --> 01:07:48,800
Man: Stay back.
1511
01:07:53,720 --> 01:07:58,120
And we followed the ambulance
to the hospital.
1512
01:07:58,120 --> 01:08:04,360
And at 5:35,
they pronounced him dead.
1513
01:08:12,400 --> 01:08:14,520
These were the pair of shoes
that he was buried in --
1514
01:08:14,520 --> 01:08:17,520
the Kilroys.
1515
01:08:17,520 --> 01:08:19,480
Me and my mom
had to pick out
1516
01:08:19,480 --> 01:08:22,000
what he was gonna
be buried in.
1517
01:08:22,000 --> 01:08:23,840
And my brother never wore
a suit and tie,
1518
01:08:23,840 --> 01:08:26,240
so it was like, we want him
to be buried in something that,
1519
01:08:26,240 --> 01:08:29,120
if he was alive,
he would, you know, wear.
1520
01:08:29,120 --> 01:08:31,800
That would just make me
feel happy, I guess,
1521
01:08:31,800 --> 01:08:34,400
to be buried in the same shoes
that he was buried in.
1522
01:08:34,400 --> 01:08:38,760
And Michael Jordan sent us
some shoes, and I have those.
1523
01:08:38,760 --> 01:08:40,200
Well, it's just one pair.
1524
01:08:40,200 --> 01:08:41,920
Man: Hold on,
hold on, hold on.
1525
01:08:41,920 --> 01:08:44,080
Michael Jordan sent you shoes?
-Yes.
1526
01:08:44,080 --> 01:08:46,560
But it --
to me, it just was like,
1527
01:08:46,560 --> 01:08:48,600
like, if a kid's crying,
you give a kid candy,
1528
01:08:48,600 --> 01:08:50,160
they're gonna stop crying.
1529
01:08:50,160 --> 01:08:52,000
I just felt like that's what
it -- that's what it was.
1530
01:08:52,000 --> 01:08:54,240
But the shoes that he sent,
they were 28s.
1531
01:08:54,240 --> 01:08:55,960
They're black and lime green.
1532
01:08:55,960 --> 01:08:58,560
When he sent us those,
they weren't out yet.
1533
01:08:58,560 --> 01:09:00,320
If I was to wear these
down the street,
1534
01:09:00,320 --> 01:09:02,400
if people look and say
"Well, they not even out yet,
1535
01:09:02,400 --> 01:09:04,640
and she have them,"
and then I die,
1536
01:09:04,640 --> 01:09:07,280
then my mom has another kid
that was buried over --
1537
01:09:07,280 --> 01:09:09,400
I mean, that was killed
over shoes.
1538
01:09:09,400 --> 01:09:12,360
So, I waited until,
like, a month
1539
01:09:12,360 --> 01:09:14,400
after they came out
to wear them.
1540
01:09:16,440 --> 01:09:19,000
I'm always going back
to these pictures.
1541
01:09:19,000 --> 01:09:22,120
This picture was after
he purchased his shoes,
1542
01:09:22,120 --> 01:09:23,920
and they were
in the car.
1543
01:09:23,920 --> 01:09:27,440
He actually got out the car,
and just took a picture of them.
1544
01:09:27,440 --> 01:09:30,680
And they were --
proceeded to head home,
1545
01:09:30,680 --> 01:09:32,960
and not realizing
they were being followed
1546
01:09:32,960 --> 01:09:34,480
at that time, actually.
1547
01:09:37,120 --> 01:09:43,840
This is my son's blood
in the car.
1548
01:09:43,840 --> 01:09:46,200
Looking at the pictures,
I -- I just...
1549
01:09:56,040 --> 01:09:58,800
If you don't mind, if we
could stop for a little bit?
1550
01:10:06,640 --> 01:10:11,600
♪♪
1551
01:10:11,600 --> 01:10:14,520
Woman: I'm not ready for trial,
but I'm just ready for --
1552
01:10:14,520 --> 01:10:18,080
for them to see us,
and know who Josh was,
1553
01:10:18,080 --> 01:10:19,840
and what they took
from us.
1554
01:10:19,840 --> 01:10:21,440
All over a pair of shoes.
1555
01:10:23,800 --> 01:10:25,000
Daisy: Alright.
Are y'all ready?
1556
01:10:27,360 --> 01:10:29,000
You nervous?
1557
01:10:29,000 --> 01:10:30,800
Just take
a deep breath.
1558
01:10:30,800 --> 01:10:34,360
You know, we doing this
for Joshua.
1559
01:10:34,360 --> 01:10:36,960
Man: We ask almighty God
that you give us the strength.
1560
01:10:36,960 --> 01:10:39,360
We ask that you gives us
your spirit.
1561
01:10:39,360 --> 01:10:41,880
Joshua cannot be here
with us today.
1562
01:10:41,880 --> 01:10:44,280
We thank you for waking us up,
again, once again,
1563
01:10:44,280 --> 01:10:47,440
so that we can be here in his
absence, and in his stead.
1564
01:10:47,440 --> 01:10:50,200
We begin with a Houston murder
case making national headlines.
1565
01:10:50,200 --> 01:10:53,160
Female Reporter: 22-year-old
Joshua Woods was shot and killed
1566
01:10:53,160 --> 01:10:55,800
for his new pair
of Air Jordans.
1567
01:10:55,800 --> 01:10:57,920
Male Reporter: Daisy Williams
watched with the rest of us
1568
01:10:57,920 --> 01:11:01,200
as the prosecution brought us
back to that day in December,
1569
01:11:01,200 --> 01:11:02,760
right before Christmas.
1570
01:11:02,760 --> 01:11:05,800
He raises the, gun and fires,
and then fires and fires
1571
01:11:05,800 --> 01:11:07,720
and fires,
as the car looses control,
1572
01:11:07,720 --> 01:11:09,400
and crashes into
the neighbor's house.
1573
01:11:09,400 --> 01:11:12,160
I mean, it's just ludicrous
to think that anybody would take
1574
01:11:12,160 --> 01:11:16,560
another human being's life
over pairs of sneakers.
1575
01:11:16,560 --> 01:11:19,400
Daisy:
My son is not the first one,
and I hope and pray
1576
01:11:19,400 --> 01:11:21,400
to the good lord
that he's the last one.
1577
01:11:21,400 --> 01:11:23,400
But we got to do something.
1578
01:11:23,400 --> 01:11:26,720
Nike, they have a responsibility
in this.
1579
01:11:26,720 --> 01:11:29,160
And they have
to do something.
1580
01:11:29,160 --> 01:11:31,920
And if nothing happens,
we'll see more cases like this.
1581
01:11:31,920 --> 01:11:34,200
You'll see more mothers
and fathers like me.
1582
01:11:34,200 --> 01:11:35,840
You'll see more
mothers and fathers
1583
01:11:35,840 --> 01:11:37,480
like the accused killers.
1584
01:11:37,480 --> 01:11:40,760
The Woods family says that
they want Nike to reconsider
1585
01:11:40,760 --> 01:11:42,800
how they market
their Air Jordan sneakers,
1586
01:11:42,800 --> 01:11:46,200
so that something like this
never happens again.
1587
01:11:46,200 --> 01:11:48,200
Man: And for those who don't
understand the process
1588
01:11:48,200 --> 01:11:51,760
by which Nike markets and sells
these Air Jordans,
1589
01:11:51,760 --> 01:11:55,480
what they do is, they create
a propaganda campaign...
1590
01:11:55,480 --> 01:11:56,680
Is it the shoes?
1591
01:11:56,680 --> 01:11:59,040
Money, it's got to
be the shoes.
1592
01:11:59,040 --> 01:12:01,960
...that stirs up the minds
of young people,
1593
01:12:01,960 --> 01:12:04,360
and makes them want
these shoes so bad.
1594
01:12:04,360 --> 01:12:06,560
But then, they put out
only a few of them.
1595
01:12:06,560 --> 01:12:09,200
Man #2:
One pair per customer.
1596
01:12:09,200 --> 01:12:11,360
And it's like,
if you have birds,
1597
01:12:11,360 --> 01:12:13,440
let's say,
on your porch,
1598
01:12:13,440 --> 01:12:16,800
and you throw out a few seeds.
Well, what's going to happen?
1599
01:12:16,800 --> 01:12:18,280
Those birds are hungry.
1600
01:12:18,280 --> 01:12:20,120
If they really want to
eat bad enough,
1601
01:12:20,120 --> 01:12:22,200
they'll begin fighting
one another.
1602
01:12:22,200 --> 01:12:26,600
And unfortunately, this
propaganda scheme by Nike,
1603
01:12:26,600 --> 01:12:29,600
that has been endorsed
by Michael Jordan,
1604
01:12:29,600 --> 01:12:34,000
is working on so many inner-city
youth across America.
1605
01:12:34,000 --> 01:12:36,720
And in this particular case,
it went so far
1606
01:12:36,720 --> 01:12:38,720
that a young man
lost his life.
1607
01:12:41,600 --> 01:12:44,000
Daisy:
That's a good question.
1608
01:12:44,000 --> 01:12:48,800
I actually extended
an invitation to them
1609
01:12:48,800 --> 01:12:50,440
to be here today.
1610
01:12:50,440 --> 01:12:53,080
Unfortunately,
I don't see them here.
1611
01:12:53,080 --> 01:12:56,760
Man: Nike is not here
because Nike doesn't care.
1612
01:12:56,760 --> 01:13:00,440
Michael Jordan isn't here
because he cares even less.
1613
01:13:00,440 --> 01:13:03,280
They will take
Joshua Woods' money,
1614
01:13:03,280 --> 01:13:07,120
but when he loses his life
for the very shoes
1615
01:13:07,120 --> 01:13:09,200
that he purchased
from them,
1616
01:13:09,200 --> 01:13:11,720
all of a sudden,
we don't hear from them.
1617
01:13:11,720 --> 01:13:15,160
In corporate America,
unfortunately,
1618
01:13:15,160 --> 01:13:19,560
profit is more important
than human life.
1619
01:13:19,560 --> 01:13:21,200
And maybe that's
trickling down
1620
01:13:21,200 --> 01:13:24,480
into the younger generation
here in America,
1621
01:13:24,480 --> 01:13:27,800
why they think that materialism
is more important
1622
01:13:27,800 --> 01:13:29,400
than human life.
1623
01:13:31,760 --> 01:13:33,080
Woman:
It just hurts.
1624
01:13:33,080 --> 01:13:34,360
'Cause you never think
somebody's life
1625
01:13:34,360 --> 01:13:36,520
will be taken
over a pair of shoes.
1626
01:13:36,520 --> 01:13:38,400
And it's like,
when my daughter gets older,
1627
01:13:38,400 --> 01:13:41,280
and when his son gets older,
we have to tell them,
1628
01:13:41,280 --> 01:13:45,000
you know, the real story,
like, why he was taken away.
1629
01:13:45,000 --> 01:13:46,680
And that hurts.
1630
01:13:46,680 --> 01:13:49,880
How do you explain to a kid that
their father and their uncle
1631
01:13:49,880 --> 01:13:53,040
is gone
over a pair of shoes?
1632
01:13:53,040 --> 01:13:54,640
It doesn't make sense.
1633
01:13:58,760 --> 01:14:00,960
Daisy: I was born and raised
here in Houston.
1634
01:14:00,960 --> 01:14:02,640
My children, my son
and my daughter,
1635
01:14:02,640 --> 01:14:04,320
was born and raised here.
1636
01:14:04,320 --> 01:14:05,520
I didn't ask for this.
1637
01:14:05,520 --> 01:14:07,840
This was brought to me.
1638
01:14:07,840 --> 01:14:13,320
And most people, they wouldn't
have survived this.
1639
01:14:13,320 --> 01:14:19,120
I am in no way, shape, or form
blaming Nike for my son's death.
1640
01:14:19,120 --> 01:14:21,120
But they can
say something.
1641
01:14:21,120 --> 01:14:23,760
If your son,
or if your daughter,
1642
01:14:23,760 --> 01:14:25,800
was Joshua Woods,
1643
01:14:25,800 --> 01:14:29,520
whatever you would do
if that if was your child,
1644
01:14:29,520 --> 01:14:30,720
that's what
I'm asking you to do.
1645
01:14:30,720 --> 01:14:36,800
♪♪
1646
01:14:36,800 --> 01:14:38,200
Telander: I thought,
when it happened,
1647
01:14:38,200 --> 01:14:42,320
that this was likely a --
just a flash point.
1648
01:14:44,600 --> 01:14:46,400
But it hasn't passed.
1649
01:14:46,400 --> 01:14:48,800
It's as though the Air Jordan,
the Jumpman,
1650
01:14:48,800 --> 01:14:50,800
has become
almost like a symbol.
1651
01:14:50,800 --> 01:14:52,480
It symbolizes
so much more.
1652
01:14:52,480 --> 01:14:55,400
It symbolizes something that can
actually make people happy.
1653
01:14:55,400 --> 01:14:57,200
It's at the root
of all advertising.
1654
01:14:57,200 --> 01:15:00,240
It's advertising
that worked too well.
1655
01:15:00,240 --> 01:15:02,600
Bengtson: I mean, the fact is
it's still going on now,
1656
01:15:02,600 --> 01:15:04,960
and, you know,
it's kind of unfortunate that
1657
01:15:04,960 --> 01:15:08,800
Rick wrote that cover story
25 years ago,
1658
01:15:08,800 --> 01:15:12,720
and you're still seeing
this stuff happen now.
1659
01:15:12,720 --> 01:15:14,120
Williams:
Jordan's sneakers,
1660
01:15:14,120 --> 01:15:16,680
they're jewels
in the eyes of young black kids.
1661
01:15:16,680 --> 01:15:19,360
And when you have
these types of jewels,
1662
01:15:19,360 --> 01:15:21,800
and you wear these types
of jewels on your feet,
1663
01:15:21,800 --> 01:15:23,280
especially in
the neighborhoods
1664
01:15:23,280 --> 01:15:25,800
where wealth and status
is scarce,
1665
01:15:25,800 --> 01:15:27,520
but heavily coveted,
1666
01:15:27,520 --> 01:15:30,680
you have things
like this happen.
1667
01:15:30,680 --> 01:15:33,200
Hill: The truth is,
when you have people,
1668
01:15:33,200 --> 01:15:36,400
especially these people who are
within proximity to one another,
1669
01:15:36,400 --> 01:15:38,760
in a community
that's underserved,
1670
01:15:38,760 --> 01:15:42,320
that every signal,
every message that they get
1671
01:15:42,320 --> 01:15:45,440
is that people don't care about
what happens to you.
1672
01:15:45,440 --> 01:15:49,680
They don't care about
offering you any opportunity
1673
01:15:49,680 --> 01:15:55,080
to achieve this American dream,
then, you begin to take on,
1674
01:15:55,080 --> 01:15:57,440
as they say,
the traits of the oppressor.
1675
01:15:57,440 --> 01:15:59,760
It becomes sort of
a self-fulfilling prophecy,
1676
01:15:59,760 --> 01:16:02,360
where nobody else thinks
my life is worth anything,
1677
01:16:02,360 --> 01:16:05,600
so why should I think somebody
else's life is worth something?
1678
01:16:05,600 --> 01:16:08,240
And so, unfortunately,
things like Jordans
1679
01:16:08,240 --> 01:16:12,000
become very big
status symbols
1680
01:16:12,000 --> 01:16:14,440
in communities of color,
and communities
1681
01:16:14,440 --> 01:16:18,000
that are historically
and presently underserved.
1682
01:16:18,000 --> 01:16:22,400
And the value of life
is just not as appreciated
1683
01:16:22,400 --> 01:16:25,360
when, you know, you're hearing
from every corner of society
1684
01:16:25,360 --> 01:16:27,120
how much
you're not worth.
1685
01:16:27,120 --> 01:16:29,640
It's hard for you to look
at yourself as worthy,
1686
01:16:29,640 --> 01:16:33,800
and certainly see that worth
in somebody else.
1687
01:16:33,800 --> 01:16:35,600
Jackson: You can't ever
look at a place
1688
01:16:35,600 --> 01:16:38,480
that's gonna teach you wrong
to treat you right.
1689
01:16:38,480 --> 01:16:41,920
Our history here in America
has not been one of correctness,
1690
01:16:41,920 --> 01:16:44,200
as far as treatment
is concerned.
1691
01:16:44,200 --> 01:16:49,160
So, to ask a subculture
inside this business,
1692
01:16:49,160 --> 01:16:52,600
you know, model that America
has built on our backs,
1693
01:16:52,600 --> 01:16:54,200
to a large degree.
1694
01:16:54,200 --> 01:16:56,320
All of a sudden, we start
wilding out on each other
1695
01:16:56,320 --> 01:16:58,760
for that,
to ask America to step in.
1696
01:16:58,760 --> 01:17:00,480
You know, yeah, Michael Jordan
could probably have taken
1697
01:17:00,480 --> 01:17:02,000
a stronger stance on this,
but at the end of the day,
1698
01:17:02,000 --> 01:17:05,800
we're still asking Nike
to do something.
1699
01:17:05,800 --> 01:17:09,440
Lazenby: The real problem is
they don't want to address it
1700
01:17:09,440 --> 01:17:11,160
in a meaningful way.
1701
01:17:11,160 --> 01:17:15,480
It is a big challenge, but there
has to be something meaningful
1702
01:17:15,480 --> 01:17:18,520
to find a way
to stop this trend.
1703
01:17:24,440 --> 01:17:28,080
Lazenby: The real problem is
they don't want to address it
1704
01:17:28,080 --> 01:17:29,800
in a meaningful way.
1705
01:17:29,800 --> 01:17:34,320
It is a big challenge, but there
has to be something meaningful
1706
01:17:34,320 --> 01:17:38,200
to find a way
to stop this trend.
1707
01:17:38,200 --> 01:17:40,000
Telander: Where does
the responsibility lie?
1708
01:17:40,000 --> 01:17:41,720
And really,
you do start at the top.
1709
01:17:41,720 --> 01:17:45,280
So, if the Air Jordans are in
the image of Michael Jordan,
1710
01:17:45,280 --> 01:17:49,080
shouldn't he have some say
about what's going on?
1711
01:17:49,080 --> 01:17:51,520
And part of the criticism
of Jordan is legitimate,
1712
01:17:51,520 --> 01:17:55,560
that he has not been
a social leader.
1713
01:17:55,560 --> 01:17:58,000
And other people say --
and I could argue, too --
1714
01:17:58,000 --> 01:18:00,360
why should he be?
He did enough on the court,
1715
01:18:00,360 --> 01:18:02,400
he did enough
as a businessman,
1716
01:18:02,400 --> 01:18:05,000
to transcend
any kind of criticism
1717
01:18:05,000 --> 01:18:07,240
you might want to lay on him
for not having gone out there,
1718
01:18:07,240 --> 01:18:10,160
and marched,
and had some big social program.
1719
01:18:10,160 --> 01:18:11,720
You know, why don't you
help these kids
1720
01:18:11,720 --> 01:18:13,880
instead of
exploiting them?
1721
01:18:13,880 --> 01:18:16,520
Knight:
I always wondered if it's one
of the things that he regrets,
1722
01:18:16,520 --> 01:18:18,800
that he didn't step in
at a certain time,
1723
01:18:18,800 --> 01:18:21,200
and say,
"Hey, knock it off."
1724
01:18:21,200 --> 01:18:23,360
I don't know what kids
would have done,
1725
01:18:23,360 --> 01:18:27,000
but it couldn't
have hurt.
1726
01:18:27,000 --> 01:18:28,200
You know,
could he have done more?
1727
01:18:28,200 --> 01:18:29,440
Yeah, he could
have done more.
1728
01:18:29,440 --> 01:18:31,200
You know, but Nike,
as a company,
1729
01:18:31,200 --> 01:18:33,800
should have done more, too,
possibly, if they really cared.
1730
01:18:33,800 --> 01:18:36,360
Nike has a history of standing
by their athletes, right?
1731
01:18:36,360 --> 01:18:37,720
And when they
get into trouble,
1732
01:18:37,720 --> 01:18:38,960
unless they're really
in trouble,
1733
01:18:38,960 --> 01:18:40,360
like Lance Armstrong,
1734
01:18:40,360 --> 01:18:42,400
they stand with them
very late in the game.
1735
01:18:42,400 --> 01:18:44,840
Brands used to be afraid
to share their values.
1736
01:18:44,840 --> 01:18:46,480
And now,
the consumer says,
1737
01:18:46,480 --> 01:18:48,520
"No, I want the brand to tell me
what their values are."
1738
01:18:48,520 --> 01:18:52,720
And I think this is a piece
of that corporate ethos now.
1739
01:18:52,720 --> 01:18:54,760
Nike will certainly
more than not
1740
01:18:54,760 --> 01:18:57,080
be looked at
on the right side of history --
1741
01:18:57,080 --> 01:18:59,400
as long as people
aren't naive
1742
01:18:59,400 --> 01:19:02,120
as to why they're on
the right side of history.
1743
01:19:02,120 --> 01:19:03,520
Not on the right side
of history
1744
01:19:03,520 --> 01:19:06,640
because they felt some deep
moral obligation.
1745
01:19:06,640 --> 01:19:07,880
They're on the right side
of history
1746
01:19:07,880 --> 01:19:10,000
because it
made them money.
1747
01:19:10,000 --> 01:19:12,200
They understand,
especially as a company
1748
01:19:12,200 --> 01:19:14,200
that was kind of built
on rebellion,
1749
01:19:14,200 --> 01:19:15,480
that they understand
1750
01:19:15,480 --> 01:19:19,120
that rebellion
is an attractive quality.
1751
01:19:19,120 --> 01:19:21,040
It's attractive
in the marketplace, you know?
1752
01:19:21,040 --> 01:19:24,280
The kids -- You needs kids
to certainly buy the shoes,
1753
01:19:24,280 --> 01:19:26,400
but you need them to push it,
and push it,
1754
01:19:26,400 --> 01:19:28,200
and make it
a cultural staple.
1755
01:19:28,200 --> 01:19:29,840
And so,
Nike understands that
1756
01:19:29,840 --> 01:19:32,880
so it makes all the sense
in the world for them to appear
1757
01:19:32,880 --> 01:19:35,400
as if they care
about social justice.
1758
01:19:35,400 --> 01:19:37,440
Bengtson: Obviously,
the responsibility spreads out.
1759
01:19:37,440 --> 01:19:40,200
You know, obviously, there's
some degree of responsibility
1760
01:19:40,200 --> 01:19:43,720
on virtually everyone, from the
company down to the criminal.
1761
01:19:43,720 --> 01:19:45,600
You know, when I look back
at the way
1762
01:19:45,600 --> 01:19:47,600
that first Air Jordan
release happened,
1763
01:19:47,600 --> 01:19:49,600
and when they released it
in 1985,
1764
01:19:49,600 --> 01:19:51,680
the initial supply
sold out immediately.
1765
01:19:51,680 --> 01:19:53,280
You know,
stuff was just gone.
1766
01:19:53,280 --> 01:19:54,920
And people were getting robbed
for their Air Jordans
1767
01:19:54,920 --> 01:19:56,520
back then, in 1985.
1768
01:19:56,520 --> 01:19:58,800
Or people were getting offered
an absurd amount of money
1769
01:19:58,800 --> 01:20:00,800
for them in the street,
immediately after buying them,
1770
01:20:00,800 --> 01:20:02,440
'cause they just
couldn't get them.
1771
01:20:02,440 --> 01:20:05,400
So, you know,
Nike's response to this
1772
01:20:05,400 --> 01:20:07,800
was kind of what people
want them to do now.
1773
01:20:07,800 --> 01:20:10,880
They made more.
They made a lot more.
1774
01:20:10,880 --> 01:20:13,880
And that second wave
of Air Jordans came out,
1775
01:20:13,880 --> 01:20:16,080
you know, which I'm sure
did help to a degree.
1776
01:20:16,080 --> 01:20:17,600
And a lot of people
did buy them
1777
01:20:17,600 --> 01:20:20,000
who couldn't have gotten them
the first time.
1778
01:20:20,000 --> 01:20:22,760
But unfortunately, a lot of them
sat, too, you know?
1779
01:20:22,760 --> 01:20:24,360
And there were original
Air Jordans
1780
01:20:24,360 --> 01:20:26,080
available two years later,
1781
01:20:26,080 --> 01:20:28,960
three years later,
for virtually nothing.
1782
01:20:28,960 --> 01:20:31,400
Nike, first and foremost,
and Jordan first and foremost,
1783
01:20:31,400 --> 01:20:33,360
I mean, they're
billion-dollar businesses.
1784
01:20:33,360 --> 01:20:35,800
You know, they didn't get
that way by doing things
1785
01:20:35,800 --> 01:20:38,000
like over-production.
1786
01:20:38,000 --> 01:20:41,200
You know, and I think they've
kind of honed their tactics
1787
01:20:41,200 --> 01:20:42,920
to the point where,
you know,
1788
01:20:42,920 --> 01:20:45,600
they know that, yes,
they're never gonna make enough
1789
01:20:45,600 --> 01:20:47,920
for everybody
who wants them to get them.
1790
01:20:47,920 --> 01:20:49,480
But I think
they also understand,
1791
01:20:49,480 --> 01:20:51,800
if they make so many
that they don't sell through,
1792
01:20:51,800 --> 01:20:56,400
and they wind up going on sale,
it ends up hurting their brand.
1793
01:20:56,400 --> 01:20:58,080
Williams: Nike has been very,
very passive,
1794
01:20:58,080 --> 01:21:00,120
and kind of, for the most part,
stood back on this.
1795
01:21:00,120 --> 01:21:03,120
But Nike also, you know,
has a little blood
1796
01:21:03,120 --> 01:21:05,280
on their hands, too,
when it comes to this.
1797
01:21:05,280 --> 01:21:08,560
Because they kind of created
this sense of urgency --
1798
01:21:08,560 --> 01:21:10,160
this is sense of demand.
1799
01:21:10,160 --> 01:21:15,120
And I think that type of
mindset has kind of carried on
1800
01:21:15,120 --> 01:21:17,520
through the entire legacy
of the brand.
1801
01:21:17,520 --> 01:21:19,880
I don't think it was intentional
by Nike, at all.
1802
01:21:19,880 --> 01:21:22,240
However,
they kind of created,
1803
01:21:22,240 --> 01:21:24,880
from the start, of,
"This is something rare.
1804
01:21:24,880 --> 01:21:26,960
This is something you have
to get your hands on."
1805
01:21:26,960 --> 01:21:29,520
Telander: The desire to have
what somebody else has
1806
01:21:29,520 --> 01:21:32,040
because you don't have it
is still there.
1807
01:21:32,040 --> 01:21:34,880
And, yes, there are still crimes
for these shoes,
1808
01:21:34,880 --> 01:21:36,560
for these products.
1809
01:21:36,560 --> 01:21:38,040
The things that
you walk in,
1810
01:21:38,040 --> 01:21:40,440
the things that you need
just to get through a day,
1811
01:21:40,440 --> 01:21:43,320
those things have taken on
a significance
1812
01:21:43,320 --> 01:21:44,600
that they never had,
1813
01:21:44,600 --> 01:21:46,560
and it's all because
of Air Jordans.
1814
01:21:46,560 --> 01:21:55,240
♪♪
1815
01:21:55,240 --> 01:21:57,120
Letterman: Alright, now,
Michael, is this shoe.
1816
01:21:57,120 --> 01:21:59,360
Now, of course, we can't show
what kind of shoe this is.
1817
01:21:59,360 --> 01:22:01,080
That's okay. The color
will stand for it.
1818
01:22:01,080 --> 01:22:02,960
But is this the shoe that
the NBA wouldn't let you wear?
1819
01:22:02,960 --> 01:22:05,000
Yeah.
1820
01:22:05,000 --> 01:22:06,200
Now, why wouldn't
they let you wear it?
Just because it's ugly?
1821
01:22:06,200 --> 01:22:08,360
[ Laughter ]
1822
01:22:08,360 --> 01:22:09,720
It's just a joke.
1823
01:22:09,720 --> 01:22:12,000
It's just a joke,
you know what I mean?
1824
01:22:12,000 --> 01:22:15,720
And here, we have the new
improved Air Jordan.
1825
01:22:15,720 --> 01:22:17,760
With some white in it.
1826
01:22:15,720 --> 01:22:17,760
Yeah, with some white in it.
1827
01:22:17,760 --> 01:22:19,000
Now, you get
a little something
1828
01:22:19,000 --> 01:22:20,840
for each of these sold,
don't you?
1829
01:22:20,840 --> 01:22:22,040
Yeah.
You working at it.
1830
01:22:22,040 --> 01:22:23,920
What a deal.
What a deal.
1831
01:22:23,920 --> 01:22:33,600
♪♪
1832
01:22:33,600 --> 01:22:43,320
♪♪
1833
01:22:43,320 --> 01:22:53,000
♪♪
1834
01:22:53,000 --> 01:23:02,680
♪♪
1835
01:23:02,680 --> 01:23:12,360
♪♪
1836
01:23:12,360 --> 01:23:22,080
♪♪
1837
01:23:22,080 --> 01:23:31,760
♪♪
141109
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