Michael Jeffrey Jordan

Mike Nolan

History of Journalism 503

2 May 2007

Michael (Air, His Airness, MJ) Jordan

• Born February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, NY

• Attended Laney High School in Wilmington, N.C.

• Enrolled at the University of North Carolina in 1981

• Drafted 3rd by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 NBA Draft

#23: Right on time• Star rose during the cable boom

– By the end of his career 70% of U.S. homes had cable

• ESPN became world wide leader in sports• ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNews,

ESPN.com, ESPN the Magazine• Internet took off at the end of his career• Jordan takes Nike to new heights

Basketball Superstar and Media Icon

Endorsements• Nike• Gatorade• McDonalds• Coca-Cola• Wheaties• Hanes

Career Achievements:

• 6 NBA Championships*

•5 NBA MVPs*

•10 Scoring Titles*

•6 NBA Finals MVPs*

*All NBA Records

The Jordan Effect

• Fortune Magazine estimated that Michael Jordan had generated $10 Billion for the economy by 1998

• The 1998 Finals gained the highest Nielsen Rating in NBA history at 18.7

MJ: Cover Boy

• Appeared on cover of Sports Illustrated record 49 times

• Famous cover of ESPN the Magazine*

*18th on ASME Top 40 magazine covers

Media Love Affair ‘90-’93

I WANNA BE LIKE MIKE

Controversy and Jordan

• Gambling Problem?• Estimated $1 million in gambling debt• Dad Murdered July 23, 1993• Retires October 6, 1993• $5 million paternity suit• Quiet about Nike/Sweat Shops

– “Republican’s buy shoes too”- MJ

– Shoes were too expensive

Media Love Affair Revisited ’95-?

Be Like Mike 2, Failure, Even Underwear?

Michael Jordan Everywhere

• Space Jam – 1996 Movie featuring MJ with Bugs Bunny• Grossed $230 million world wide

Smell Like Mike: Michael Jordan Cologne

The Continuing Legacy of #23

• The Jordan Brand– Sponsors University of North Carolina, St.

Johns and University of Cincinnati – Sponsors Yankee Star Derek Jeter

• Hanes Commercials Still Air

• Who’s Next? Tiger or Lebron James?

or

Works Cited

• Jordan, Michael. Player Bio. Retrieved April 15, 2007 from www.nba.com/playerfile/michael_jordan.html

• Jordan, Michael. Jordan Brand History. Retrieved April 15, 2007 from http://www.sneakerhead.com/jordan-brand-history.html

• Jordan, Michael. ESPN Sports Century. Retrieved April 19, 2007 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98q9I0El1oM

• Jordan Michale. Be Like Mike. Gatorade Commercial. Retrieved April 19, 2007 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06dQSwnxBbM&mode=related&search=

• Jordan, Michael. Failure. Nike Commercial. Retrieved April 19, 2007 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HkGmRShkjI

• Kellner, Douglas. The Sports Spectacle, Michael Jordan, and Nike: Unholy Alliance?. Retrieved April 20, 2007 from http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/kellner/papers/MJNIKE.htm

• Martzke, Rudy. NBA Finals Ratings Best Since Jordan. Retrieved April 21, 2007 from http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/01playoffs/finals/2001-06-19-ratings.htm

• Ponce, Phil. Michael Jordan Interview. Retrieved April 21, 2007 from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/sports/jan-june98/jordan_6-15a.html

• Space Jam. Box Office Earnings. Retrieved April 21, 2007 from http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=spacejam.htm

• Sports Illustrated. Cover Galleries. Retrieved April 20, 2007 from http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/cover/galleries/covers/jordan/main