Adidas Apparently Passed On Signing Michael Jordan Because He Wasn't Tall Enough
(CBS) No athlete has transformed the marketing game for sports star and athletic apparel companies more than Bulls legend Michael Jordan, whose empire with Nike and subsidiary Jordan Brand has made him hundred of millions and whose association played a leading role into Nike turning into the industry giant that it is.
Turns out, Jordan's marriage to Nike almost didn't happen. Back in 1984 when he was about to enter the NBA, Jordan originally wanted to sign with Adidas, the Wall-Street Journal reported, but the German company turned him down because he wasn't tall enough.
The 6-foot-6 Jordan spent his NBA career as a shooting guard.
In 1984, Adidas made a misstep that presaged others. A University of North Carolina basketball star named Michael Jordan wanted a sponsorship deal with Adidas when he went professional, say people familiar with the matter.
Adidas distributors wanted to sign Mr. Jordan, says someone who was an Adidas distributor then. But executives in Germany decided shoppers would favor taller players and wanted to sponsor centers, the person says, adding: "We kept saying, 'no — no one can relate to those guys. Who can associate with a seven-foot-tall guy?' "
Adidas signed centers of the era, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — it still sells sneakers named for him. Mr. Jordan in 1984 signed with Nike, which built his name into a blockbuster basketball business. Mr. Jordan and Adidas decline to comment.
Jordan later signed with Nike in 1984, and the rest is history -- six titles and five MVP awards for Jordan and unrivaled domination by Nike in the athletic apparel industry.
