18 years after Michael Jordan formed a reluctant but unprecedented partnership with Nike, the Capital Classic was rebranded into the Jordan Brand Classic. Now the most outstanding teen athletes across the nation play in the elite youth event every April and get their first affiliation with the Jumpman brand. LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, D’Angelo Russell, and even His Airness’ son Marcus are JBC products. Shaquille O’Neal’s kids, Shareef and Me’Arah, also played in the game.
The Jordan Brand Classic is in its Jordan Year with its 23rd edition. A milestone in itself, this tournament is producing future stars that will take the Jordan Brand and consequently, Nike to further heights.
Jordan Brand Classic is a winner for Nike
Air Jordans and the Jordan Brand have revolutionized sneaker culture, with the latter holding the second highest share of the country’s footwear market, second only to its parent company. As of 2024, the Jordan Brand is responsible for $6.59 billion in revenue, 13% of Nike’s total sales. This kind of brand dominance isn’t solely off the pop culture prominence of a 6x champion who played in the NBA for 15 seasons. It’s not only having NBA players sporting the Jumpman logo either. It comes from creating a platform to get young athletes noticed.
That’s where the Jordan Brand Classic comes into the picture. Since 2002, it was where scouts and fans got a pulse of NCAA and NBA/WNBA-bound future stars. If they have the Jumpman or Swoosh logo on them, even better. Since this is the Jordan Brand Classic, best expect the gear to be on theme. It’s even stayed trendy signing players like Kiyomi Miller to an NIL deal.
The visibility on these athletes and the sport is at its peak. It takes place after March Madness, right after McDonald’s All-American Game, heading into the WNBA draft, with the NBA leading into post-season. The consumption of basketball in this season is at a fever pitch. Moreover JBC is broadcast live on the NBA app showcasing the Jordan Brand’s draw within the league.
It draws an elite audience to Barclays Center, former JBC elites themselves. Carmelo Anthony is one of the most recognizable faces among them. Building an image is only the start of it. It’s about giving future top picks of the pro drafts the air of what it is like to be a Nike athlete.
Jordan Brand Classic is its own culture
There’s a perception that wearing Air Jordans set us apart from the herd. Doesn’t matter that a lot of kids get them. But player exclusive editions, retro re-releases, celebrity affiliations, all serve to drive up the mania around the Jumpman brand. The Jordan Brand Classic applies the same formula of being set apart from the rest.
Michael Jordan gets a 5% royalty of the Air Jordan sales because it’s all about the namesake. Without pushing MJ as the face of this game, it still screams Jordan. It’s in Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets, not far from where Michael Jordan was born. Charlotte, where Jordan grew up, and Chicago, where he dominated his entire career, were also venues. The high school athletes train in the Nike headquarters in NYC. They do interviews with the Jumpman and Swoosh symbols everywhere. There’s even a quickfire interview segment called, “Mini Mike.”
Each athlete selected to the event gets a suitcase. They contain the invite to the JBC, a pair of Jordans, and an autographed letter by the Black Cat. It’s symbolic of packing your gear and “Js” into a suitcase to head to the game. It’s definitely something that can only be earned.
At the heart of it, JBC is a community event. It benefits youth camps, supports school programs, and encourages young kids into sports. In turn, the Jordan Brand and Nike’s philanthropic arm is front and center.
It is a brand ecosystem of future stars and Jordan’s legacy. Like the Air Jordans, this is one more MJ facet that Nike will keep.