Michael Jordan is the most iconic sports figure of all-time. His greatness on the court was outdone only by his massive impact off the court. "Be like Mike" is a catchphrase coined during his reign as best NBA player that still holds true today. The Jordan brand carries tremendous value over a decade after Michael Jordan played his last NBA game. Releases of his highly anticipated shoes have even sparked violence, illustrating the outrageous demand for his latest product. The prevalence and success of his Hanes advertisements are is just one more example of the weight his endorsement carries to this day.
Michael Jordan is and always will be the greatest athlete of all-time. While many say he broke out at a time ripe for a sport marketing poster boy, his greatness would be undeniable in any generation. From clutch shots to gravity defying dunks, Jordan was as innovative as he was dominant during his era. The recent success of LeBron James has once again triggered Jordan comparisons, all of them unwarranted. LeBron may be the most gifted athlete to play any sport but he lacks the almost unexplainable "it" factor that made the world's eyes glued to the screen when Jordan took the court. Much of LeBron's success in endorsements would not have been possible if Jordan hadn't paved the way for the multi-million dollar marketing of athletes. Also, Jordan's class and professionalism would never have allowed him to commit a blatant faux pas like "The Decision".
Michael's understanding of creating and maintaining an image that would be globally embraced has allowed him to make the majority of his fortune during retirement. His brand will undoubtedly outlive the man himself and continue to generate millions of dollars every year. Comparisons to Michael Jordan suggest a lack of understanding of his one of a kind greatness that transcended more than just sport. Air Jordan is a living legend and his name will live forever.
Marc,
ReplyDeleteI grew up in the Jordan era; my first memory of him was when he defeated my Detroit Pistons finally to get to his first NBA finals. Although I never liked Jordan on a basketball level, I completely agree with you. He is the greatest of all time in basketball; he was in the right place at the right time. But he also conducted himself in a way that allowed him to have all the success off and on the court that he did. I ask this question, we talk about LeBron and Kobe being like Jordan but if there was never a Jordan would either of these two be as big as he turned out to be? Would they crave out an image as great? It is hard to compare players of different eras, as now with social media and everything it is a different time. If we are talking greatest of all time it stops and starts with Michael Jordan end of discussion. I think we need to stop comparing and just enjoy the athletes for who they are and what they bring.
Douglas Deprest
Marc,
ReplyDeleteI remember watching Jordan play basketball on tv and i remember always wanting to be able to do the things that he could do on the court. I was never a bulls fan but i definitely was a Jordan fan for sure. I agree with you completely that he is the greatest of all time in the game of basketball; and personally i dont think that there will be another Jordan in the game of basketball. In today's world i think it is wrong to compare Kobe and Lebron to Jordan because yes they may be talented atheletes and won a few championships, but i dont think that they have achieved the following that Jordan did back when he was playing. Marc said it the best stop comparing the atheletes and just enjoy them for who they are and what they bring to the table.
Tyler Clifton
I completely agree that we should stop comparing the athletes and just enjoy what they bring to the table. There are so many factors that make them who they are. They also come from different times. A lot of people talk about the image Michael Jordan portrayed. In Michael Jordan's time it was easier to keep such an image that he did. There was no social media like there is now. It is harder now for anyone who is in the spotlight to keep a spotless image due to all the media, and coverage that surrounds them. Michael Jordan has continued to uphold an impeccable image to this day however. I do feel he will always be known as the most iconic sports figure, but I do not feel it is fair to compare every great basketball player that comes around.
ReplyDelete-Sunny Marchand
I agree that Michael Jordan is one of the most talented players of all time, probably the most. But I do think that the timing had something to do with his image boom. It was a time when TV was advancing at a much more rapid pace and more and more people were able to own a television. He was also able to create this solid image only a few years before the internet was up and running so he was able to boost his already solid image even more. I'm not saying he deserves less credit because of all of this, I am simply saying that it was the perfect timing for someone of his talent and character to burst onto the scene.
ReplyDeleteMike Frank
Marc,
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more with you. Jordan will forever be the best athlete in sports. He created a name for the NBA separating the league from the other "big" leagues. “The world’s greatest basketball player is also one of its great brands” (Johnson & Harrington, 1998, p. 128). This quote explains he will be the world's greatest basketball player but in addition has created one of the biggest brand names. Besides his brand name, Jordan has created a personal image for himself. Through his actions on and off the court, he represents what a true athlete should stand for. Never have we have seen Jordan in a negative light like we with current NBA comparisons, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. He kept a healthy image of himself revealing his characteristics he possess as a person and which allowed for his brand to really take over the market. In the end, what Jordan has done as an athlete to market I doubt will ever be done again and what he brought to the game of basketball will be replaced by another NBA star.
-Chelsea VanAssche
I really don't think I can argue with the case that Marc has made for Michael Jordan. I heard recently that Lebron wants to be remembered as the greatest player ever. But I wonder if that can happen, especially in light of how his image has been tarnished. He still needs to win 5 more championships to even be in the conversation with Jordan, in my view.
ReplyDeleteDr. Spencer