The year was 2015 when the Greatest of All Time (GOAT), Michael Jordan, decided to take a chance on collaborating with the Michigan Wolverines on an apparel deal. The school’s previous shoe deal had just ended and it was fortuitous that the Jordan Brand was looking to enter the college football market.
Fast forward to 2024, and there was Jordan, up in a skybox, celebrating with some of his brand’s most famous ambassadors—baseball icon Derek Jeter and renowned rapper Travis Scott—as Michigan defeated Washington, 34-13, in the CFP National Championship to capture the school’s first national title since 1997.
First Jordan Brand-backed football program
It was in 2015 when Harbaugh took on the responsibility of trying to bring the Wolverines’ football program back to its lofty perch. According to the former NFL star-turned-coach, his son, Jay, gave him the idea of perhaps becoming a Jordan-backed school.
“When we first took the job here, there was a shoe contract that was up,” Harbaugh said in 2018.
“There’s a lot of good shoes out there, etc. My son, Jay, came up with the idea. He’s like, ‘There’s no Jordan football school. That would be pretty awesome.'”
The two sides eventually agreed on a 15-year, $173.8 million deal to make the Jordan Brand the school’s exclusive apparel sponsor. The deal was much talked about then as it was the largest apparel deal in college football. It has since been surpassed by the 15-year, $252 million deal Ohio State signed with Nike.
Brough extra credibility
Former Super Bowl MVP and Michigan alumnus Desmond Howard added that Jordan Brand’s collaboration with Michigan gave the school extra leverage to sign highly coveted recruits. After all, few college athletes get to rock exclusive Jordan Brand apparel and shoes while playing on the field.
“I believe it all started when they (Michigan) signed with Jumpman because when they did that, it gave them credibility with a lot of recruits they wanted,” Howard said.
