Air
By Jeffrey Gibbs
“Air” now out is an American biographical sports drama film set for release in 2023. Directed by Ben Affleck and written by Alex Convery, the film follows the true story of the origin of the popular Air Jordan basketball shoeline. The story follows an ambitious Nike employee as he attempts to strike a business deal with a rookie professional basketball player, Michael Jordan. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, the cast includes Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker and Viola Davis.
The Plot
In 1984, Oregon-based Nike, Inc. was on the verge of shutting down its basketball shoe division due to poor sales. To make a comeback, Marketing Vice President Rob Strasser and co-founder and CEO Phil Knight assigned Nike’s basketball talent scout Sonny Vaccaro with the task of finding a new spokesperson for the company’s basketball shoes. Vaccaro considered the players chosen in the 1984 NBA draft and initially thought Michael Jordan, the third pick, would be an ideal choice. However, Jordan was a fan of Adidas and too expensive for the basketball division’s meager budget. Vaccaro then watched Jordan’s highlights in conjunction with an Arthur Ashe commercial for his Head rackets, and was convinced that Nike should pursue the “generational talent” since the brand and athlete could build off each other. Vaccaro requested George Raveling, a friend who had coached Jordan in the Olympic tournament, for his support in courting the star. He then travelled to Wilmington, North Carolina, where he managed to convince Jordan’s mother Deloris that Nike would give him all the attention that he would not get from Adidas and Converse. Vaccaro received a negative phone call from Jordan’s agent David Falk regarding contacting his client’s family but was informed that the Jordans had scheduled a meeting at Nike’s Beaverton, Oregon headquarters the following Monday. Vaccaro and Strasser prepared their pitch and requested shoe designer Peter Moore to design a prototype, which he named “Air Jordan” after Nike’s Air Sole technology. Knight agreed to assign the basketball division’s entire budget of $250,000 to hire Jordan. The meeting with Jordan and his parents was successful, but Vaccaro was informed that Adidas had matched the offer and added a Mercedes Benz 380SL. He was certain the deal would not go through; however, he was surprised when Deloris called and said that Michael had agreed to sign with Nike on the condition he earned a percentage of every Air Jordan sold. Vaccaro was unsure the company’s higher-ups would accept the bonus, but Knight deemed it necessary to ensure the endorsement. The Air Jordan exceeded Knight’s expectations, earning $162 million in one year and becoming a steady source of income for Jordan.
At the box office
As of April 18, 2023, Air has grossed $34.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $21 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $56.1 million
