Adidas Ends Contract with University of Central Florida After Michael Jordan's Son Wears Nikes
Adidas terminated its $3 million endorsement contract with the University of Central Florida's athletic department after one of Michael Jordan's sons played in a game for the school wearing the Nike shoes named after his father. Marcus Jordan, a freshman guard at UCF, said he would only wear Nike Air Jordan shoes in deference to his father.
Everyone on the team except Marcus, 18, wore Adidas shoes in the UCF Knights' 84-65 win over St. Leo University in an exhibition game Thursday night.
Adidas spokeswoman Andrea Corso said:
"The University of Central Florida has chosen not to deliver on their contractual commitment to Adidas. As a result, we have chosen not to continue our relationship with them moving forward."
The school was operating under a tentative contract with Adidas that ran through 2015 and was valued at $3 million. The Germany-based company supplied the UCF's sports teams with shoes, apparel and equipment.
UCF spokesman Leigh Torbin responded:
"We are disappointed to learn that Adidas has chosen to discontinue its relationship with UCF Athletics. Once we receive official notice, we will be able to further respond."
UCF apparently had reached a deal with Adidas' regional reps to allow Marcus to wear Nikes. But higher-level corporate officials objected.
In a statement Oct 23, when the school first realized that Jordan refused to wear anything but Nike Air Jordan shoes, they issued a statement:
"It is important to state that UCF Athletics did make Adidas aware of Marcus' recruitment and was led to believe that there would be a workable solution to a unique situation.
The fact that UCF put Marcus ahead of the entire team, allowing him to bend the rules and ultimately cost the school some hefty losses in funding sets a very dangerous precedent.
Hopefully his father Michael Jordan has a good week gambling and will offer to pay back the school all the money his son just lost them.
Comments
I think the last statement
I think the last statement is unwarrented. What kind of reporting is that?
It is the truth. They better
It is the truth. They better hope this kid can play because he just cost them millions of dollars and a big lawsuit. Kid is a spoiled brat.
if your dad was one of the
if your dad was one of the greatest would you want to wear his shoes also, i know i would
Then you don't go to a
Then you don't go to a school that has a CONTRACT to wear a different set of shoes.
Child Please!
Hope he can play?! Please, he scored 1 point in 23 minutes. He's not even worth all the trouble.
It's good that the school is
It's good that the school is standing by Jordan in this, and in the end the only loser here is Adidas. If they fail to recognize the PR benefits in making an exemption of the son of the best player to ever pick up a basketball, then they're stupid and fully deserve the backlash this is likely to cause them.
Backlash?
The only backlash I see happening is one towards Marcus Jordan. HIS FATHER is the star with the celebrity status and TALENT to warrant such diva-like behavior.
Amen.
Amen.
First off.. get your facts
First off.. get your facts straight before you diss his son... Adidas gave UCF permission to let Marcus wear the shoes before UCF recruited him, they went back on their word since Marcus was not going to go to a school where he would not be allowed to wear his fathers brand of shoes.
If nothing was done in
If nothing was done in writing no agreement was really reached, was it?
Not that Marcus will make it
Not that Marcus will make it but if he made it to the league, would he tell the NBA, no I'm not wearing all that adidas product??? Adidas has a $60 million deal with the NBA to be the official outfitter. Bottom line is MJ is spoiling this kid and showing him how to beat the system at all cost. Kinda like how MJ wore the flag across his chest during the Olympics to cover the Reebok logo. So what if it cost your school $3 million, I'll fix it. MJ wore converse in college for God's sake. Grow up Marcus.
Julie, you are a stupid
Julie, you are a stupid bitch. Pretended the whole article to be an unbiased reporter and then turned into a teenage ditz right at the end.
Spoiled rich kid who got a
Spoiled rich kid who got a scholarship just because of his fathers name and some people are condoning his actions. This world has gone mad.....
Wow. Pretty objective
Wow. Pretty objective reporting. In other news, reporter fired for scraping bosses penis with her teeth.
Spoiled little kid!!! Most
Spoiled little kid!!! Most rich caucasians have gotten away with this for years. Riding off their family names to get what they want through school.
Why do blacks make issues
Why do blacks make issues out of race? This has nothing to do with race........
Whatever
Your final comment on this article "Hopefully his father Michael Jordan has a good week gambling and will offer to pay back the school all the money his son just lost them", is sickening, stick to the facts and quit throwing rocks. what a jerk your are julie.
This is not the players
This is not the players fault. Prior to signing his contract with the University of Central Florida, the university and Adidas spoke and chose to make the exception for Marcus. However, after signing the contract Adidas chose to not come through on its end of the agreement. You can't blame Marcus for doing something he was told he may do, and you can't blame someone for sticking to their guns. It's unfortunate the agreement between the university and Adidas was not written in a contract, only agreed upon verbally. Adidas dropped the ball here, the fault cannot be put on any other party. The student body here at UCF supports the action of our athletic program and its players. It's great to see a university stand up for its players, and put money aside for once. Besides, Nike will look better on the universities athletes..
Yikes. That's a big loss
Yikes. That's a big loss for the college.
The Jordan's Are wrong!
This is all MJ's doing. First that ridiculously arrogant HOF speech, now this! Nobody is above the program. And, for the record, the school has it backwards. Marcus Jordan knew, when he was being recruited, that UCF had a contract with Adidas.
If he stipulated that he be allowed to wear Nike, while his TEAMMATES wear Adidas (as if he should have special rules), they should have told him and his family to go to Hell. I thought the Jordan boys wanted their own legacies. Talk about living off your name...
He should have found a school that wore Nike, if it was tHAT important. The school caved in b/c they wanted to cash in on having a Jordan on their roster. Word is...the boy has some game. But obviously he's not really that good, b/c even an above average son of a superstar like Jordan should be going to a Kansas, a UCLA or, of course, a UNC.
Luke Walton, Mike Dunleavy and others parlayed their names into big-time schollys at top programs. When your name is Jordan, you get a boost just for your name; all you have to be able to do is make a layup!
What's a Jordan doing at UCF? Where would he be going if Jordan wasn't his father (fictional) Western Oregon University? Or maybe, gulp, a community college?
For his extra-marital affairs, arrogant HOF speech, punching teammates, and his poor handling of his son's recruitment that caused the mess at UCF, I have lost all respect for MJ.
Post new comment