Thanks Mom: How PSG’s Champions League win, and his mother, keep making Michael Jordan richer

Michael Jordan is once again celebrating a Champions League triumph, even though he never stepped onto the pitch in Budapest.

Paris Saint-Germain’s rise to European champion status has extended more than 700 days of dominance at the top of European soccer, and the club has done it while frequently wearing Jordan Brand kits. For Jordan, it is more than a symbolic win. It is a financial engine still generating millions decades after a deal that began in 1984.

And it all started with his mother, Deloris Jordan.

Back then, Nike was struggling to compete with Adidas, which was the brand every elite young athlete wanted. Jordan, then a 21-year-old college star preparing for the NBA, preferred the German company and had little interest in meeting Nike executives in Oregon.

But his mother insisted he go.

“She said, ‘You’re going to listen to them. Even if you do not like it, you are going to listen,’” Jordan recalled in the documentary “The Last Dance.”

That meeting in Portland would change sports marketing forever.

The Air Jordan revolution and an unprecedented royalty deal

Nike offered Jordan about $500,000 per year, an extraordinary figure for a rookie at the time. But Deloris Jordan pushed for something even more significant: a 5% royalty on all product sales.

That clause would become one of the most profitable athlete endorsements in history.

Nike initially projected modest returns of around $3 million over several years. Instead, the Air Jordan I line exploded in popularity. Selling at about $65 per pair, the sneakers generated roughly $126 million, with Jordan earning about $6.3 million in his first year alone.

To put that in perspective, Jordan’s first NBA contract with the Chicago Bulls paid him the same total amount over seven years.

By 1996, after returning from his first retirement, Jordan signed a one-year deal worth $30.14 million with the Bulls. It marked the first time he earned more from playing basketball than from Nike royalties in a single year.

Today, estimates suggest Jordan earns around $300 million annually from the partnership.

From basketball courts to global sports culture

Nike’s success with Jordan Brand did not stop at sneakers. The company expanded into apparel, building a global cultural identity around the Jumpman logo that moved far beyond basketball.

Jordan Brand became a fixture in streetwear, music culture and elite sport worldwide, eventually expanding into football, golf and soccer.

A major turning point came when Nike first created Jordan boots for Neymar during his time at Barcelona, signaling the brand’s move into the global game.

PSG and Jordan Brand’s growing partnership

In 2018, Jordan Brand officially partnered with Paris Saint-Germain, extending Nike’s broader relationship with the French club that dates back to 1989.

The collaboration has become one of the most successful crossovers in modern sports marketing. PSG kits featuring the Jumpman logo have become global best sellers, especially in recent seasons as the club has enjoyed its strongest period in history.

Last season, Jordan Brand appeared on PSG’s third and fourth kits, including a navy design featuring the iconic wings logo. This season, it has featured on the fourth and fifth kits, including the strip worn during PSG’s qualification for the Champions League final in Munich.

The partnership has expanded into a full lifestyle line, including tracksuits, caps, coats, shirts and accessories. Some items worn in major matches, including PSG’s latest celebratory gear, have already sold out online, with prices ranging from roughly $140 to $190.

Even decades after that initial meeting in Portland, the deal shaped by a mother’s insistence continues to deliver. And now, with PSG at the summit of European soccer, the Jordan Brand empire keeps growing alongside it.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that of this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.