迈克尔·乔丹:一个时代的传奇
"In 1984, the first pair of Jordan’s were sold at $65, which, at the time, was the most expensive basketball shoe available on the market. We must keep in mind the inflation rate and buying power; in 1984, $65 was worth approximately $164.89."
The Origin: Splits in the Air & the Ball in the Hand
Everybody who has functioning eyes would recognise the Jumpman logo. They might not know the name of it, but no doubt, they have been exposed to it. The logo is one of the sportswear industry’s most esteemed symbols. As common knowledge to sneakerheads, in 1988, the logo was showcased for the first time on the shoe’s tongue, three years since its inception.
Its roots are planted in a 1984 special issue of LIFE Magazine which showcased athletes that were to represent America in the 1984 Olympics. Oddly enough, in the original photograph taken by Jacobus Rentmeester, Jordan was wearing plain white New Balance basketball sneakers.
In a Nike photoshoot, Jordan wore the Black Toe Air Jordan I while re-enacting the Jumpman, soon-to-be billion-dollar pose (Nike trademark). Ironically, in a 1997 interview, Jordan stated that he wasn’t even dunking in that one – “I just stood on the floor, jumped up and spread my legs and they took the picture. I wasn’t even running.”
When playing in the big leagues, it’s not going to be smooth sailing in the legal department. After a dramatic pause of over three decades, Rentmeester decided to sue Nike (Air Jordan trademark holder) for copyright infringement. However, an Oregon federal court dismissed the claim for the same reason droves of ‘copycat’ infringement claims fall through: copyright law does not protect ideas, it only protects the expression of them. The court ruled that Nike’s expression wasn’t similar enough to Rentmeester’s.
It’s no surprise that Jordan’s career and business endeavors have made him a lot of money; he is worth (brace yourself) $1 Billion, dunking himself right into the Forbes Billionaire list. Swish.
