Agent to Jordan, Ewing, Worthy & More Recounts Illustrious Career
Superstar agent David Falk also talks about MJ’s first shoe deal and why he ultimately chose Nike over adidas and Converse.
Commonly known as Michael Jordan‘s longtime sports agent, David Falk recently appeared on the latest installment of Kevin Durant and sports agent Rich Kleiman’s platform, The Boardroom.
Sitting down with Kleiman, Falk discussed the evolution of sports business and offered insight into MJ’s endorsement deal with Nike. Famously kicking off Jordan Brand in 1984, the deal came at a time when the Beaverton, Oregon-based sportswear company wasn’t as dominant in the market.
According to Falk, Jordan originally didn’t want to go ahead with the deal. “He didn’t want to go. He didn’t know anything about it, didn’t like the shoes, didn’t want to go.” The famed sports agent goes on to note that at that time adidas had signed all the players “that mattered” and that Converse was on top, being the official shoe purveyor for the Olympics for over 30 years and signing numerous major athletes.
Ultimately, Falk was able to push for the deal that created Jordan Brand. “I thought that Nike was the hungriest for Michael, that they needed him the most, that they would do the most.” Today, Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand thrives as cultural icons, Nike now owns Converse and dominates the sportswear world with its lauded releases and powerhouse partnerships.
Catch David Falk’s interview on The Boardroom above.
In case you missed it, here are the top 10 best-selling sneakers of 2019.
