Sonny Vaccaro Brought Michael Jordan to Nike & Changed Sports Branding Forever | The Rich Eisen Show

This guy is the reason why there’s a sneaker head culture. Remember, MJ wanted to signed with Adidas, he loves Adidas back then. Because of Sonny’s vision, persistent of chasing & pitching to MJ & his mom, the rest is history. Thank you, Sonny.

I'm so glad that this man is finally getting the credit he deserves. It's as if they tried write him out of important sports history until his 30 for 30 documentary came out. Good or bad he needs to be spoken of.

Wilt Chamberlain stated before he passed that all of the players in the NBA should give MJ 10% of their earnings because of what he did for the NBA and their salaries

The incredible thing about ‘Air’ movie is that we’d think it’s about MJ, but actually it’s about Sonny and MJ’s mom. They knew what he was capable to do, and he did it. MJs exceeded his excellence

Sonny and MJs mom are absolute legends

MJ's mom was forward thinking, to say the least. She helped to chart the path that all the players today have in getting a piece of the shoe company. The company gets to eat a share of the profits of the shoe, then the player should eat too. Great movie.

I saw the movie Saturday night with my daughter. My favorite scene was the meeting in the Nike boardroom. They were showing the video & Sonny(Damon) could clearly see that they were losing MJ & his parents. He stops the video abruptly & gives a passionate speech that was brilliant & inspiring. His whole life was poured into it!

Saw the movie yesterday and it really was well done. I was 15 in 1984 and they play probably 30-35 songs from that era throughout the movie that took me back to that time plus all of the nostalgia like Rubic's cubes, breakdancing, old commercials, rotary telephones, etc. were just really cool to see. Hard to believe that was 39 years ago. I never really knew this story about how they signed Jordan but it shows how big of an impact he really had to save an entire sporting goods company that probably wouldn't be here otherwise.

Alternate history: In 1984 a struggling shoe company named Nike invested $250,000 in making a shoe for the best player in the 1984 NBA draft. Later that year the Air Bowie was launched. Unfortunately, Sam Bowie broke his leg in a game in 1985 with many blaming the shoe for the injury. Nike would go bankrupt in 1986 just as the Reebok Jordan 2000 was becoming the dominant shoe in the market.

MJ is bigger than the legend at this point.

Sonny just answered the GOAT debate .

It's so cool that he's receiving the recognition he deserves in his older age. Air was a fantastic movie.

The movie was so freaking good!!! I’m glad Matt Damon due him justice!

Just watch Air movie As a grown man 48 yrs old.. the songs, the games, wired remote control.. gosh, really miss those 80s & 90s era Thank you air jordan

Both parties benefited. The biggest sporting deal in history.

Sonny Vaccaro is such a smart, articulate, talented and legendary figure. So glad that movie will have him remembered for eternity <3

Watching this as a lifelong salesman, this is the way the best deals go. Sonny, threw out the formula and spoke from his heart. That’s what broke through.

We got to be thankful for this man. He saw something nobody else saw in Michael and made the biggest deal ever for Nike. God bless you sir🙏🏽

Jordan is the 🐐. The legend of all legends

Sneaker head here...I'd just like to thank Sonny, Deloris, 'Shoe Dog' and Jordan (🐐) for creating an industry that has me filling up my closet with new colorways year after year. 😂👟👟👟👟