Dwyane Wade To Li Ning
In July of 2009, Jordan Brand executed a major power move in the sneaker endorsement game by adding the explosive Dwyane Wade to its roster; Wade, who was free from his contractual obligations with Converse Basketball, was free to explore his options and plenty of suitors were certainly lining up for his services. Already having an NBA Championship under his belt, being rooted in Chicago, and playing in a similar manner to Michael Jordan himself, Wade and Jordan Brand seemed like a match made in heaven. Jordan seemed to have found the perfect heir to the Jordan throne and the brand legacy gained a stable backbone that would stabilize the mission for the next several years.
After being issued the Air Jordan flagship model that season, Dwyane Wade was finally presented with his first official signature shoe called the Jordan Fly Wade in April of 2011, andlater, in December, the sequel named the Jordan Fly Wade 2 (in addition to the EV model for the Playoffs) followed. The Wade models immediately surpassed the longer-running Jordan Melo and Jordan CP3 line in price, indirectly appointing the Fly Wade as the top-tier Jordan Brand performance basketball model. However, in spite of Wade championship pedigree, his elite status in the NBA, and his celebrity-like recognition in Miami (and having an actress as a girlfriend), the Jordan and Wade partnership never really took off into the stratosphere like they had anticipated; sales of the Jordan Fly Wade were mediocre and it never made as much as a dent in the constituency, where Air Jordans, LeBrons, Kobes, and KDs reign king.
With Dwyane Wade contract with Jordan Brand coming to an end this summer, Wade is now back to where he was in 2009 but he may be looking elsewhere to cash in. On the flip-side, Jordan Brand needs to weigh its options as well; Wade is reportedly paid $10 million a year from Jordan Brand, a price that may not make any fiscal sense if the Jordan Fly Wade line of footwear and apparel doesn earn enough to make the investment worth their while. In addition, reports of a cancellation of the Jordan Fly Wade 3 model has also pointed to Dwyane Wade moving on from Jordan Brand, and rumors of a potential move to Chinese athletic apparel brand Li-Ning, which already employs a number http://blog1.de/rongbingsx1/ of http://airamricaol.exteen.com NBA players, has only made a potential Wade/Jordan split more of a reality. Thoughts on this potential swing? Would Li Ning efforts in the US be more recognized if it added Wade as its flagship endorser? Who would Jordan Brand potentially replace Dwyane Wade with? This is certainly an interesting development so let us know what your thoughts are and we keep you posted as more unfolds.
the "lifestyle" aspect is whats important. its crazy how Jordan brand has the most sought after AND the least sought after shoes. nobody is guna wear jordans that MJ didnt wear. iduno how to change the stigma but thats the truth. for my age group, ( people that were around for original releases) you'd get made fun of for wearing just "jumpmans" and not anything but the number series. if you had a non number series jordan than "you didnt know what was up" or you were "too broke/cheap to get the real thing". if wade rocked that and you stuck his name to that shoe at 120 or 125 that would have sold. i think wade is too accomplished just to stick him in the hyperfuse but that is just me!
Fractured fan base. High prices. Subpar designs. I think the signature sneaker game is over. If you ball you're interested in performance not the performer. If you're a sneaker head you're interested in aesthetics. Most signature lines fail in both areas. As a consequence product doest move. DWade going to LiNing might yield him a nice paycheck but won't grow that brand or make him any more endearing to fans. Work it out with Jordan. Performance + Design brilliance is what got them to where they are. Push that philosophy everyone wins.
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