The stage is all set for one of the most-awaited films of the year- Air, starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Viola Davis, and more in the lead roles. Termed as the early contender for next year's Oscars even before its release, Air will hit theaters worldwide on April 5, 2023. Directed by Ben Affleck, Air is the next big thing and has the potential to emulate the appreciation the movies like Wolf of Wall Street or The Pursuit of Happiness received worldwide. The presence of Ben Affleck and Mat Damon has been sending fans into a frenzy as the duo is not only close friends in real life but also great & well-known actors. Apart from them, the presence of Academy Award Winning Actress Viola Davis adds glitter to the gold. Now, the question arises whether Air is a true story or Air is a real story or not.
Is Ben Affleck's Air a real story?
The answer is yes. Ben Affleck-directorial is a biographical sports drama about the origins of the Air Jordan shoe line, which landed a transformational deal with Michael Jordan. Matt Damon plays the character of Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Ben Affleck plays the character of Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler and Julius Tennon as James Jordan. Alex Convery has written “Air,” which is produced by David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, Jon Weinbach, Affleck, Damon, Madison Ainley, Jeff Robinov, Peter Guber, and Jason Michael Berman. Executive producers include Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Kevin Halloran, Michael Joe, Drew Vinton, John Graham, Peter E. Strauss, and Jordan Moldo.
The movie will be based on the true story of the creation of the Air Jordan, which will shine a spotlight on one of the greatest American basketball players of all time, Michael Jordan. The movie won't necessarily follow now-60-year-old Michael's rise to sporting greatness but his historic endorsement deal with Nike that led to the iconic sneaker's design.
Air True Story: The deal between Nike and Michael Jordan
Talking about the real story or real deal between Michael and Nike- On October 26, 1984, Michael Jordan signed a five-year, US$2.5 million deal with Nike, three times more than any other deal in the National Basketball Association (NBA) at the time. Nike released the Air Jordan sneaker line in April 1985 intending to make $3 million in the first three years. As per the Sports Illustrated report, despite favoring Adidas, Jordan signed a five-year, $2.5 million deal with Nike. It was a record-breaking contract at the time. However, Nike's gamble quickly paid off. In his first season, Jordan was voted to the Eastern Conference All-Star team and All-NBA Second Team, in addition to winning Rookie of the Year. Nike launched the Air Jordan sneaker line in 1984 with the goal of making $3 million in the first three years. The first shoe shattered expectations, earning $126 million in one year. The rest was history for Nike and Jordan. On September 9, 1997, the two partners launched Jordan Brand (originally called 'Brand Jordan'). Since then, Jordan Brand has become a global leader in fashion and performance.
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Nike has benefited greatly from the partnership as well. It has become the world's largest supplier and manufacturer of athletic shoes and apparel. As of October 2022, Nike has a market cap of $143.5 Billion, making it the world's 66th most valuable company. When discussing basketball shoes, the conversation always begins and ends with Jordan. It has been 38 years since the 'GOAT' entered the sneaker business, and there is no end in sight.