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52. Nike & Jordan: 3 partnership lessons that changed sneaker culture forever
Description
What if the NBA banned your product—but that only made it more valuable?
Nike wasn’t always the sneaker powerhouse it is today. In 1984, Adidas and Converse ruled the basketball world, and Nike was an afterthought. But when they took a massive gamble on a rookie named Michael Jordan, everything changed. Instead of just signing him, they built a brand around him—one the NBA tried to ban. That risk turned into one of the most iconic partnerships in sports history, creating a $5B+ empire.
What you’ll learn:
- Find an edge – Why the best partnerships aren’t just about reach but about positioning.
- Take a risk – How breaking the rules can turn a partnership into a cultural movement.
- Create something exclusive – The key to making your partner personally invested in success.
Discover how to secure game-changing partnerships by listening to this episode now!
New episodes Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
More from Phil Hayes-St Clair:
Learn how to identify your ideal business partners in under 2 minutes
This podcast explores business growth through strategic partnerships for sales and marketing leaders, emphasising revenue growth and supply chain management by closing high-value partnerships, identifying the right partners, and building strong relationships based on trust, mutual value, and insights gained from reverse engineering partnerships.