Michigan's partnership with Air Jordan is beating Ohio State in the apparel race
You're seeing more and more not-so-subtle reminders from Ohio State about its partnership with LeBron James because the Buckeyes have to have an answer for what Michigan is doing with its newly-signed agreement with the Air Jordan brand.
When Michigan's agreement with the Jordan brand was announced last August, I wrote that college football's biggest rivalry could turn into Jordan vs. LeBron. That's actually happening right now.
And Jordan is winning.
You can pretend all of this doesn't matter. That's been the preferred defense tactic for Ohio State fans.
You can say, "It's weird that Michigan has a basketball player on its football uniforms." That's another popular one.
But if you're saying those things, you're wrong. So wrong it hurts.
Jim Harbaugh hit a home run that still hasn't landed yet when he spearheaded Michigan's partnership with Jordan. Michigan is continually winning the day, as it's been smart about keeping the Jordan stuff relevant by spreading out the news regarding new gear releases, the official uniform reveal and Jordan himself being an honorary captain.
Ohio State has noticed what's going on up there. Which is why Ohio State's public relations/social media team has started responding directly to Michigan's momentum.
There's a luster with the Jordan brand that not even LeBron -- fresh off that warm-and-fuzzy NBA title in Cleveland -- can match. Kids today may relate more directly to LeBron because he's playing right now, but the Jordan gear is unquestionably the elite sub-brand of Nike.
When Ohio State walked into their Hyatt Place for fall camp on Sunday, Marshon Lattimore was wearing Air Jordan retro 4s and Dontre Wilson was wearing Air Jordan retro 11s. They weren't the only Buckeyes wearing Jordans.
Nobody was wearing LeBron's shoes.
The biggest misconception about Jordans is that they're just shoes. No, they're a status symbol. They're rare, they're noticeable and they're collectors items. There's a cult following that simply doesn't exist for across the board for LeBron's brand yet.
August 10th, 2016 at 10:32 AM ^
So how many Director's Cup points does M get for this?
August 10th, 2016 at 10:37 AM ^
Oh god you're one of those fans.
August 10th, 2016 at 10:48 AM ^
checks out.
August 10th, 2016 at 3:15 PM ^
I need to post only Scruffy quotes from now on.
August 10th, 2016 at 10:54 AM ^
August 10th, 2016 at 10:58 AM ^
Kevin Bacond/
August 10th, 2016 at 12:18 PM ^
And it also = more money out of the fans pockets. $80 for a Michigan polo shirt with the Jordan logo on it seems ridiculous to me. This is just like with the mega TV deals that everyone is excited about until they see that their cable TV bill keeps going higher and higher. Unfortunately none of this money is going to the players who make it all happen either. It is just another example how sports fans keep getting fleeced.
August 10th, 2016 at 12:30 PM ^
Buy some discount Adidas gear, Dick.
August 10th, 2016 at 3:06 PM ^
Why don't you buy your mom a whore.
August 10th, 2016 at 3:07 PM ^
oh that's right, I forgot. Because she is one.
August 10th, 2016 at 3:08 PM ^
My bad, I seem to have escalated this for no reason. I thought you were calling me a Dick, but instead you were just referring to my MGoName. Please disregard my previous insults.
August 10th, 2016 at 5:26 PM ^
Haha, this is hilarious
August 10th, 2016 at 3:11 PM ^
That is both a bad insult and doesn't make any sense. F-.
August 10th, 2016 at 3:27 PM ^
Stay out of this Mr. WolvinLA2. This is between me and the Fish man. Also, what happened to WolvinLA1?
August 10th, 2016 at 8:54 PM ^
August 10th, 2016 at 3:06 PM ^
Not sure, but you're about to be at -21 (and counting) after I push that red arrow....
August 10th, 2016 at 10:32 AM ^
August 10th, 2016 at 10:34 AM ^
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August 10th, 2016 at 10:38 AM ^
So you're saying they're going to uproot and take their coolers to South Beach when the going gets tough?
August 10th, 2016 at 10:39 AM ^
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August 10th, 2016 at 10:45 AM ^
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August 10th, 2016 at 11:07 AM ^
/swoosh
August 10th, 2016 at 11:10 AM ^
August 10th, 2016 at 12:00 PM ^
August 10th, 2016 at 3:36 PM ^
/plop
August 10th, 2016 at 10:40 AM ^
August 10th, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^
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August 10th, 2016 at 10:44 AM ^
August 10th, 2016 at 10:47 AM ^
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August 10th, 2016 at 11:39 AM ^
August 10th, 2016 at 3:37 PM ^
osu will have Flopman.
August 10th, 2016 at 11:52 PM ^
these will be catching on with the hip kids
August 10th, 2016 at 10:48 AM ^
August 10th, 2016 at 10:49 AM ^
August 10th, 2016 at 11:11 AM ^
August 10th, 2016 at 11:38 AM ^
(Nice oceans reference)
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August 10th, 2016 at 1:51 PM ^
I don't have time to be standing around talking to....y-y-you...circus animals!
August 10th, 2016 at 12:10 PM ^
August 10th, 2016 at 3:37 PM ^
he's not your buddy, amigo!
August 10th, 2016 at 10:47 AM ^
What does Lyndon B. Johnson have to do with shoes?
August 10th, 2016 at 12:22 PM ^
Civil rights laws. Economic improvement. Shoes sell well in the cities. Duh.
August 10th, 2016 at 1:56 PM ^
Shoes are probably manufactured in Vietnamese sweatshops....how do you like Communism now fellas?!
August 10th, 2016 at 7:33 PM ^
That's actually what I think every time I see "LBJ".
August 10th, 2016 at 8:13 PM ^
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August 10th, 2016 at 10:35 AM ^
Do we have any early sales figures on jerseys in Ohio? Because that would be a hell of a start.
August 10th, 2016 at 11:00 AM ^
That's a meme I've not seen in a long time.
August 10th, 2016 at 10:36 AM ^
I think Harbaugh has changed the tide of the rivalry. Hell people in Ohio are starting to believe him. Never in a million years would I have thought that. Selling Michigan jerseys is a good start.
August 10th, 2016 at 10:39 AM ^
August 10th, 2016 at 10:41 AM ^