Jordan's Son Seeks To Wear Nike Gear Despite UCF's adidas Deal

Marcus Jordan Wants To Wear Nike Due To Family's Ties

Univ. of Central Florida (UCF) G Marcus Jordan, the son of Basketball HOFer Michael Jordan, last week stated he would honor the school’s contract with adidas “by wearing all the apparel with adidas logos on it,” but that he would not “take the court in the shoes,” according to Darren Rovell of CNBC.com. Marcus Jordan instead indicated that he would wear Nike, “citing family pride.” UCF AD Keith Tribble has indicated a compromise had been reached with adidas, but company spokesperson Andrea Corso said that "no compromise had been reached." Corso: "We are in negotiations for a future relationship regarding the broader UCF athletic program. What I can say is that these relationships are based upon agreed deliverables for both parties.” Rovell notes while some "might think this is all about Nike vs. adidas, it seems like it's more about potential breach of contract." Rovell: "Jordan's shoe defection is very public and could potentially be costly to the university"(CNBC.com, 10/20). FANHOUSE.com's Tim Povtak reported Marcus Jordan's footwear decision, "at his father's urging, caused considerable debate the last month before the UCF athletic department and officials at adidas came to a compromise." Tribble said that Jordan "won't be the first athlete at the school to get permission to wear something other than adidas," as there has been "at least one kicker in football who needed to wear a different brand of shoe because of the way they fit." A UCF athletic department source also said that adidas officials were "extremely unhappy with the decision, but they didn't press the issue because they feared a backlash." Povtak noted adidas is paying UCF "close to $2[M] annually to be the exclusive provider of athletic gear" (FANHOUSE.com, 10/15). Marcus Jordan: "It's a level of importance with the Jordan Brand and my family. It's no disrespect to adidas. I have a high level of respect for adidas, but I'm going to be wearing Jordan shoes" (SUNTIMES.com, 10/16).