After Tiger Woods’ Nike Exit, Michael Jordan Brand May Cut Ties With PSG, Citing Lionel Messi’s Exit

What do a partnership from 1984, another from 1996, and one from 2018 have in common? Nike. They all have Nike in common. The American brand’s 1984 partnership with NBA legend Michael Jordan is essentially what made it the sporting giant it is today. Its 1996 partnership with golf icon Tiger Woods kickstarted Nike’s golf journey. And as for the 2018 partnership? That was a result of the 1984 deal, as the Jordan Brand ventured into the soccer world, signing an exclusive deal with PSG. While the Nike-Jordan deal is still going strong, the same can’t be said for the Nike-Woods partnership. And as it turns out, neither can it be said for the Jordan-PSG deal, and it could all be thanks to Lionel Messi.

A few days ago, Tiger Woods formally announced his split from Nike after a 27-year partnership worth around $500 million. Speaking of successful partnerships that ended, the Lionel Messi-Neymar-Kylian Mbappe trifecta at PSG was one of them. After signing Neymar and Mbappe in 2017, the Parisian giants added Messi to the fray, confirming their status among Europe’s elite. And then came the Jordan Brand.

For two seasons, all was well (at least in terms of the club’s marketability). But that’s where the good seemingly ended, amplified by two significant transfers. As reported by Footmercato, “For several months, the machine has stalled. The fault lies in the multiple poor performances of PSG in the Champions League (successive Round of 16 exits), the recent departures of Neymar and Lionel Messi from the French capital, without forgetting the significant drop in popularity in recent months of Kylian Mbappé.” [Translated by Google]

Until Messi and Neymar were at PSG, the Jordan deal was a win-win for both parties. PSG’s global recognition skyrocketed, and Jordan got an opening in the soccer world. But with the dwindling sales, Jordan has reportedly started looking elsewhere. More specifically, a Nike-sponsored English club. With Kylian Mbappe heavily linked to Real Madrid, it is likely that the Parisian club won’t be able to capture the market as it once did, which seems to have forced Nike’s hand. However, Jordan’s speculated exit won’t affect Nike’s deal with PSG until the end of 2032.

With signs pointing to the partnership between PSG and the Jordan Brand fracturing, let’s look at the timeline the Nike subsidiary has had with PSG and how its products have helped shape its presence in the soccer world.

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More than Lionel Messi, Neymar gave Jordan a boost in soccer culture

Even before signing that exclusive deal with PSG in September 2018, Jordan collaborated with Neymar in 2016. Jordan gifted the Brazilian star the NJR x Jordan Nike Hypervenom II boot, inspired by Neymar’s favorite basketball sneaker—the Air Jordan V. It had the Jumpman logo and Jordan’s #23. This eventually led to the full-blown deal with PSG.

Introducing the first complete Jordan soccer kits in an away Champions League fixture against Liverpool, the PSG jersey featured the Jumpman logo on the chest and a black and white color scheme. This was followed by the release of the Air Jordan 5 Paris Edition. For almost every kit designed thereafter, Nike and Jordan also released a sneaker.

With the Jordan x PSG 2019 kit debut came the PSG x Air Jordan 6 “Iron Grey” sneaker, inspired by PSG’s home kit. With the Jordan x PSG 2020 kit debut came the limited edition, white and purple PSG x Air Jordan 4Retro “Bordeaux.” The PSG Air Jordan 1 was launched following the 2020-21 midseason away kit release, and the PSG Air Jordan 5 Low and Two Trey came out after the 2022/23 away collection. 

One of the most recent sneaker releases in the Jordan x PSG collaboration—Jordan Air 200E PSG—was released in Spring 2023. This was followed by the five-year anniversary release of the collaboration in September 2023, wherein an elephant print third kit and the PSG Air Jordan VI were released. Besides the usual jerseys and sneakers, Nike and Jordan introduced a collection exclusively for women in February 2020, followed by a Jordan x PSG lifestyle collection debut in December 2021.

While neither party has confirmed or denied the rumors about the partnership ending, fans can rest assured that the Jordan Brand will continue to design PSG jerseys at least until the 2024/25 season. Do you think a separation between them is imminent?

Read More: Tiger Woods’s $500M Exit: Timeline of the Tiger-Nike Partnership Explored