Marcus Jordan Could Cost College Millions Over Dad's Shoes

ORLANDO, Fla. — A fight over the shoes Michael Jordan's son will wear at the University of Central Florida could cost the school financially.

Freshman guard Marcus Jordan is refusing to wear shoes made by adidas, the brand the university has a contract with for all its sports. He says he will only wear his father's Nike Air Jordan shoes because they hold special meaning to his family.

The problem is UCF is in the final year of its contract with adidas that requires coaches and athletes to use the company's apparel and equipment. UCF says its five-year deal with adidas ends June 30, 2010.

There have been media reports that UCF is negotiating a new deal that could be worth up to $3 million and last up to six years.

UCF said in a statement Thursday that adidas was aware of the situation during contract renewal discussions. The university says it was "led to believe that there would be a workable solution to a unique situation."

(This version CORRECTS terms of UCF-adidas deal.)

Comments

[louvon]

I think its sad all the American kids who were killed in vietnam and now all the factories Nike operates are in that country. The bottom line is the almighty dollar.

[kwoodberryesq]

Wear the Adidas or kick rocks... he's not a legit D1 player anyway!

[RoveRoveRoveYourBoat]

...wear the team uniform or get the f out!

[LetMeUnderstandThis]

His father needs to have a talk with him about being a team player first also the school just sit him and call it day.

[Cogs]

He's actually a very average talent. UCF hopes for this season will not go down the drain if this player is not a member of the team. His brother is also pulling a goofy stunt at Illinois by trying to get back onto the team after announcing he was no longer interested in playing basketball.

[SJW1]

Someone tell me, how these universities, with billion dollar TV contracts, Product marketing and endorsement, Ticket prices, etc... continually raise tuition almost every year? Where is all this money going? How did Universities manage to educate, to the point of being the most educated country in the world, in all aspects of higher learning and keep cost down prior to having all these extra revenues? Has the greed of wall street hit "Sesame street"?

[RoveRoveRoveYourBoat]

...higher education rates throughout Europe are much higher than this country.
Their societies value education as national investments and finance through taxes.
This small minded country is first only in ignorance, greed and aggression.

[swanie]

Red shirt him, or tell him he CANNOT PLAY without Adidas shoes.

End of story.
.

[LetMeUnderstandThis]

Ditto

[mi]

Nothing like going along with the team.
What a jerk.

[deeppeace]

"Special meaning to his family?!" Give me a break. Another spoiled brat. Isn't one Kobe Bryant enough?

[HWNA]

This is beyond stupid.

[Bobzmcishl]

With this kind of commercialization going on college athletes should be paid.

[wineflip]

As difficult as it is to get financial assistance to universities these days, I say that Marcus Jordan needs to be released from the University of South Florida's team. He needs to spend some time with his father to explain contract law to him. I can understand his willingness to wear a shoe celebrating his father. The University of South Florida has agreed to wear another shoe and that agreement should be honored.

Of course, if it is so important that Marcus plays with the University of South Florida, I suggest that his dad, Michael, contract with the university to double the previous offer to the university for wearing his shoe over an extended period and compensate the previous shoe company for damages. He has the money, right?

[invergarry]

It would be impossible for Marcus Jordan to void an agreement with the University of South Florida, since he's signed to play for my alma mater, the University of CENTRAL Florida. UCF. It's only the biggest university in the state!

[Sing Out and Slap Iron]

UCF is a glorified JuCo! It's a high school with ashtrays. It the size it is because the tuition and cost of living in the area is ridiculously cheap.

[sparky73]

Its truly amazing the school has a multi million dollar deal for shoes not to mention all of the money they receive for selling the TV rights of the broadcast and these poor kids just get a free education. Its time schools pay real $$$ to these basketball stars

[Sing Out and Slap Iron]

TV RIGHTS? This is the University of Central Florida Sparky, not Miami or Florida. And TV money would be laughable.

And the shoe contract is a 6 year, $3 million deal. That's $500K a year. It costs a little over a half million a year for scholarships (yes, the sports department has to pay the school for the scholarships that they offer) for the football team. Boom, there goes the Adidas money. And personally, as a State of Florida taxpayer, I'm for any outside deal that a school can make.

[qdog112]

"Jordan asked about this deal prior to committing to UCF and was told that he would be allowed to wear the Nike shoes."

Sadly, it sounds like a school rep from the athletic department may have spoken "out of school".Sometimes players are told what they want to hear to get them to sign (if it happened) BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO AUTHORITY OR POWER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. This may be the case.

The ultimate authority is ADIDAS here and they will have to be flexible in order to make this work. They are in intense negotiations now that may involve a compromise of Marcus wearing his pop's shoes sans the logo. I cannot imagine a scenario where ADIDAS would allow him to wear the shoe emblazoned with "Jumpman". One option is a buyout by Nike, the last one may be a student transfer.

[iRock]

So obviously the kid is going to find a way to put the "i" in team.