Matt Damon stars as Sonny Vaccaro, the ultimate basketball lifer, who we meet while he watches one of an endless string of high-school games, looking for the next great player he might steer Nike. Per the outlet, "[Sonny] was confused about [Phil's] sudden change of heart. 3 billion from Nike had a high assessment of Vanoy. he could see Victor Wembanyama getting an unprecedented. Sonny Vaccaro Went On To Work For Adidas & Reebok After Air. Vaccaro is a former Nike consultant who persuaded the company to create a shoe line around the soon-to-be Chicago Bulls' new draft pick, Michael Jordan — even though the rookie hadn't played in. What is Sonny Vaccaro's background? John Paul Vincent Vaccaro was born in Trafford, Pennsylvania on September 23. Advertisement. After seeing AIR, you'll probably wonder how accurate Affleck's account of. At the time, Nike had stumbled, missing the aerobics boom,. The hustling Luke Skywalker in this near-mythic battle against a purported evil empire (nicely played by rival shoe companies Adidas and Converse) is basketball scout Sonny Vaccaro, played by Damon. All of Vaccaro’s basketball expertise helped him build a modest fortune: It’s estimated that today, Vaccaro’s net worth is around $5 million. Whereas another legendary basketball impresario, Sonny Vaccaro, expanded the grassroots scene and eventually took a job with major companies like Nike and Adidas, Garf was unwilling, or perhaps. He currently resides in Santa Monica, California. The movie ‘Air’ shined a bright light on the man behind the scenes of the landmark deal between Nike and Michael Jordan, Sonny Vaccaro. Available on. John Paul Vincent "Sonny" Vaccaro (born September 23, 1939) is an American former sports marketing executive. “He was very easy . In carefully worded statements crafted in times of peril, it's easy to feign surprise and disgust. He wanted to sell the designs to Nike, which was then a private company with less than $29 million in annual revenue. PITTSBURGH — Sonny Vaccaro knows that Matt Damon looks nothing like an Italian kid from Trafford. When Sonny Vaccaro first set foot inside Nike's offices, Michael Jordan wasn't yet a household name. Feb 9, 2023. Sole Man offers a snap-shot into how America's playground sport became a sophisticated and increasingly soulless. Some have criticized his role in creating unregulated recruiting systems around young talent, while others note he has been a staunch defender of young college basketball athletes. But Sonny says, the movie’s release comes at a pivotal time and calls it an honor to be part of. Matt Damon portrays. They’re telling the story of how one of history’s greatest sports icons catapulted a struggling footwear company to eventually become the No. Image via Amazon Studios. The story of what is arguably the NBA’s most powerful scout, whose story at Nike was recently brought to the. In the fall of 1984, a 21-year-old Jordan inked a five-year deal with Nike for $2. Ils voulaient que je sois consultant sans avoir. He was a huge figure in the shoe industry specifically, helping to make shoe deals and endorsements a staple of basketball. Over Vaccaro’s shoulder, the Mirage listed the characters and their odds on its. He famously takes credit for bringing Michael Jordan into the Nike shoe. As of 2023, Sonny Vaccaro’s net worth is $5 million. For the briefest of moments, Sonny Vaccaro appeared in Sunday’s episodes of “The Last Dance,” the 10-part, Michael Jordan-focused documentary running on ESPN. As of 2023, Sonny Vaccaro net worth is $5 million. A. . Sonny Vaccaro becomes a catalyst for change within the company, shifting his focus solely on Michael Jordan and paving the way for sports star endorsements. Sonny Vaccaro on Why Michael Jordan Is ‘Bigger Than Bill Gates’ & Matt Damon’s Portrayal of Him in ‘Air’. Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike consultant in the late 1970s, helped begin the commercialization of college sports. Sonny Vaccaro talks about his early days in the shoe business, the hypocrisy of the NCAA, and what it was like to sign Michael Jordan. Sonny Vaccaro -- the man who famously helped Nike sign Michael Jordan back in the day -- says if he were still in the shoe brand industry. · 9 min read. . New York: The hero of the new movie ‘Air’, released this week in the United States, is Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike employee who saw in a young Michael Jordan what ‘no one else had seen’ and convinced the shoe brand to forge a revolutionary partnership. So where is the legend Sonny Vaccaro now? Read more. For the briefest of moments, Sonny Vaccaro appeared in Sunday’s episodes of “The Last Dance,” the 10-part, Michael Jordan-focused documentary running on ESPN. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are reuniting once again, this time for the true-life story of former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro in a feature project that will hail from Amazon Studios and Skydance. John “Sonny” Vaccaro of Trafford can be seen here in the center, posing in a late-1950s Trafford High School varsity basketball photo. Sonny Vaccaro is best known for his tenure with Nike in which he signed Michael. Working as a school teacher in Trafford, Vaccaro developed prototypes of sneakers. Months after best buds Ben Affleck and Matt Damon hit the set of their new movie, AIR, portraying Phil Knight and Sonny Vaccaro, the trailer for the highly anticipated. . 5 million. Sonny Vaccaro's Net Worth - $5 Million . When Sonny initially began partnerships between basketball players and the shoe companies he was. The movie ‘Air’ shined a bright light on the man behind the scenes of the landmark deal between Nike and Michael Jordan, Sonny Vaccaro. April 6, 2023 6:36pm. The idea starts with Sonny Vaccaro, played by Matt Damon, who proposes they create an entirely new type of shoe based on Michael Jordan to get him to sign with them. Matt Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro in the new "Air" movie about how Nike signed Michael Jordan. Vaccaro installed barkeep Moe at 8-1 odds, Bart’s pal Milhouse at 80-1. Vaccaro, a sports. Not to be outdone by Reebok, he wanted to put his best foot. com. But Sonny says, the movie’s release comes at a pivotal time and calls it an honor to be part of. The event was part of the Smith Schools Freshman Fellows fall Speaker Series. . Sonny Vaccaro and his role in the origin of Air Jordans is the focus of “Air. Last Tuesday he was home preparing to visit a family member in his home state of California when, around 6 a. Few figures in sportswear are as impactful as the great Sonny Vaccaro. Many people are only now becoming aware of Sonny Vaccaro’s name because of the movie Air, which opened in theatres on April 5, 2023. I was approaching my 61st birthday. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon transformed into Phil Knight and Sonny Vaccaro for the first time on Monday. He single handedly changed the way sneaker deals were ideated, created, and executed. Sonny Vaccaro is divisive. Instead. After the presentation and Q&A, Vaccaro and his wife Pam chatted with students. Affleck, 49, is set to direct, write, co-star and produce in the. he began being. Sonny Vaccaro talks about his early days in the shoe business, the hypocrisy of the NCAA, and what it was like to sign Michael Jordan. The nasty Vaccaro-Raveling rivalry and the story of Nike pitchman Myron Piggie are alone worth the price of admission to college basketball's house of horrors. Last week we spent the whole day together. Matt has an older brother, Kyle, a sculptor. J’ai compris bien après que c’était sur moi. While Air took some liberties with his pursuit of Jordan, Vaccaro was responsible for pushing for what was, at the time, a major gamble. Sonny Vaccaro “Phil Knight’s lying, Michael’s lying more than Phil and Raveling is insane,’’ said Vaccaro, who was fired by Nike in 1991 without public explanation and went to work at. Sonny Vaccaro's Net Worth - $5 Million In Air , Matt Damon portrays the Nike marketing executive who pushes for a complete upheaval of Nike's basketball division strategy. This week the guys host Sonny Vaccaro, one of the most influential sneaker marketing executives of all time. “He rises to the top,” Vaccaro said in an. To make the story of Sonny Vaccaro and Nike even more interesting, after securing the company's biggest signing with Michael Jordan, he nearly stole their second most significant athlete, a high. The Dapper Dan Roundball Classic ran for 43 years and featured numerous future NBA stars, including Shaquille. Vaccaro's remarkable career and influence in the sports industry were the focus of an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary titled "Sole Man," which aired on April 16, 2015. In the movie “Air,” which opens nationwide Wednesday, Matt Damon plays a mid-1980s Vaccaro, who along with Phil Knight courts Michael Jordan for a Nike endorsement deal. Over Vaccaro’s shoulder, the Mirage listed the characters and their odds on its. . Sonny Vaccaro didn’t attend a Nike work meeting in 1984 to suggest to colleagues to pursue Michael Jordan. In November 2020, while chatting with correspondents in a zoom call, Sonny said that he initially needed his grandkids to inherit the shoes after he passed on. m. Sonny Vaccaro is a former sports marketing executive, and a legend in the world of basketball, best known for his time at Nike, Inc. A career and life riddled with contrasts added another Wednesday night when Sonny Vaccaro, who at 67 still describes himself as a renegade, gave a 90-minute speech at the Harvard Law School. PITTSBURGH (93. It was 1977. The film marks the directorial debut of Jon Weinbach and. 6 as a digital series on Grantland. ” Credit. Even though Air Jordan is one of the most famous brands in the world, Convery said it remained suspenseful because Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) became such a strong character. Nike who now organizes the Adidas camp. Sole Man: Directed by Dan Marks, Jon Weinbach. For the briefest of moments, Sonny Vaccaro appeared in Sunday’s episodes of “The Last Dance,” the 10-part, Michael Jordan-focused documentary running on. After the Michael Jordan deal was signed in 1984, it was the very year Nike fired Sonny Vaccaro. Sonny Vaccaro– Sports Marketing Exec. Hoping to prove that he played an instrumental role in Jordan’s rise from coveted prospect to cultural. Sonny Vaccaro– Sports Marketing Exec. It was Sonny Vaccaro, the former Mr. It’s the most illogical, dishonest thing. In the same interview, Vaccaro also revealed the most important person in Jordan’s life, his family. Set in 1984, it follows the efforts of Nike co-founder Phil Knight and marketing manager Rob Strasser to save their company from an impending fall, which leads them to a salesman named Sonny Vaccaro. A pair of basketball legend Michael Jordan’s famous Air Jordans from his rookie season are seen on April 28, 2021 in Geneva during a preview of sale by auction house Sotheby’s. He lives in Santa Monica, California. Is it the shoes? For Michael Jordan, Sonny Vaccaro and Nike, the answer in 1984 was yes. Vaccaro’s storied relationship with Nike ended on a sour note when company. The company had a modest goal of earning $3 million from the sneakers over a three-year period. The company had a modest goal of earning $3 million from the sneakers over a three-year period. 2/9/2023 2:54 PM PT. He told people, "I think amateur athletics are a fraud. In the ‘80s, Converse was king and the brand had secured court superstars like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The back of his head. Sonny Vaccaro and his role in the origin of Air Jordans is the focus of “Air. He’s widely known for sealing the deal between the two and changing the game for Nike in the 1980’s. The picture, which opened to positive reviews from critics, including our own, credits Nike’s decision to sign Jordan largely to vision of one man: basketball promoter Sonny Vaccaro, played by. Four years ago, Vaccaro, the 73-year-old ex-sports marketer who helped wed college athletics with basketball shoe companies, made O'Bannon the face of a potentially game-changing suit against the. In part two, Herenda and Vaccaro talk about Sonny's first meeting with Michael Jordan and how he brought the NBA legend to Nike along with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images. The way that Sonny Vaccaro discovers Michael Jordan’s potential for greatness in Ben Affleck’s AIR is a little bit different from how it happened in real life, according to screenwriter Alex Convery. 12. The real Vaccaro was a consultant on the movie, but he wasn't the driving force to have the story hit the big. "Air" will not be released in theaters in France but put online directly on Amazon Prime, at a date not yet announced. Then it hit him: Phil had planned all along to squeeze him out of Nike. Sonny Vaccaro, former sneakers marketing executive, has seen befriended countless NBA stars in his career. In a Skype call with reporters in November 2020, Sonny said that he initially required his grandchildren to get the shoes upon his passing. Getty Images. Matt Damon stars as Sonny Vaccaro, the ultimate basketball lifer, who we meet while he watches one of an endless string of high-school games, looking for the next great player he might steer Nike. Sonny Vaccaro, center, who helped start many careers, with LeBron James, right, at an all-star game in 2003. At the time, the deal was groundbreaking. And the Air Jordan, the shoe. Thus, he is considered to be the first man who connected college sports. He is known for Air (2023), Lenny Cooke (2013) and Through the Fire (2005). NBA legend Michael Jordan would not have become the household name that he is today or have his $2. John Paul Vincent "Sonny" Vaccaro (born September 23, 1939) is an American former sports marketing executive. Matt Damon portrays. The former sneaker executive turned college athlete crusader says Monday's ruling in the Shawn Alston case puts college sports' governing body on the precipice of extinction. The real Vaccaro was a consultant on the movie, but he wasn't the driving force to have the story hit the big. In the film, Matt Damon, acting as Sonny Vaccaro, set out to help Nike boost sagging sales. They. Sonny Vaccaro was fired from Nike because he was planning on pursuing other business plans that didn't involve the company. Kobe just passed out of high school to the NBA. However, the founder of Nike, Phil Knight spoke against Vaccar. Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike consultant in the late 1970s, helped begin the commercialization of college sports. The video above is the 30 for 30 film on Sonny Vaccaro, a famous and infamous character in the sneaker world who is celebrated and vilified and revered and maligned. "My older brother, Sonny, drove me to the Pittsburgh airport in my Ford Falcon and it broke down. By Pete Thamel. Speaking with The Athletic, Vaccaro, 83, admits that the film “embellished […] The post Air: Sonny Vaccaro’s brutally honest admission on Nike’s Michael Jordan chase dramatized in film. Ariel Fisher for. Michael Jordan says marketing executive George Raveling, not Sonny Vaccaro, sold him on signing with Nike. Although he stepped away from the sneakers. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. The innovative concept of Sonny Vaccaro teaming up with a sports star to introduce a fresh new shoe. 3 Billion Sneaker Business, Sonny Vaccaro Believed Juanita Vanoy Was Too Good for ‘His Airness’ Michael Jordan, who favored Adidas shoes, threw a curveball as Sonny Vaccaro negotiated. Hoping to prove that he played an instrumental role in Michael Jordan’s rise from coveted prospect to cultural phenomenon, Sonny Vaccaro is putting a one-of-a-kind piece of memorabilia up for. The man who pushed for Nike to sign Michael Jordan coming out of North Carolina remains hurt and bitter over his omission from ESPN’s. A native of Trafford, Pennsylvania, he has one son and one daughter. Ana Carballosa/Amazon Content Services. Vaccaro reflects on the evolution of NIL, from the initial conceptions of student-athlete compensation, to landmark cases and. The right shoe has a. Michael Jordan was not interested in signing the deal. Yes, the movie Air, released on Amazon Prime in 2023, is accurate and tells the true story of the historical deal negotiated by Sonny Vaccaro for Nike in 1984, when Michael Jordan became the symbol of their Air Jordan shoes. With that, all of the country’s top high school talent — and college coaches — descended on Pittsburgh to see the best of the best play. Some call him the marketing genius behind Michael Jordan ’s Nike shoe line, while others have disputed his involvement in that deal . Vaccaro helped to recruit Ed O’Bannon for the case. Apr 5, 2023. Once again, Sonny Vaccaro understood the landscape and the currency of potential better than anyone, and “because Adidas didn’t have the money to sign all these college coaches” Wentzel says. Sonny Vaccaro is played by none other than Matt Damon in the 2023 biographical sports drama film, Air, which follows the origin of the Air Jordan shoe line. Sonny Vaccaro Peddling Shoes, Influence in Basketball Circles. KGW speaks with Sonny Vaccaro, portrayed by Matt Damon in upcoming film 'Air'. Working as a school teacher in Trafford, Vaccaro developed prototypes of sneakers. It was 1984 and Sonny Vaccaro, a basketball expert at Nike, hadn’t had much success recruiting top players to Nike’s basketball division. The innovative concept of Sonny Vaccaro teaming up with a sports star to introduce a fresh new shoe. Sonny Vaccaro is very proud of the fact that he has played a major role -- for instance, by promoting young players and getting shoe companies to sponsor coaches -- in building up NCAA basketball. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. He lives in Santa Monica, California. ESPN’s Nick DePaula spoke with sneaker marketing legend Sonny Vaccaro (the man that brought Michael Jordan to Nike and Kobe Bryant to adidas) to get his thoughts on Zion’s upcoming sneaker. Working as a school teacher in Trafford, Vaccaro developed prototypes of sneakers. BALDWIN, N. Basketball marketing legend Sonny Vaccaro tells VF the real-life story behind Air, and about the message he just received from Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris. Sonny Vaccaro is the man who convinced Michael Jordan to sign with Nike, a revolutionary partnership. Pat Carter. For those that have wondered why Adidas never managed to land. At the time. " Credit: TNS/Ana Carballosa “He knew sports and he knows basketball,” Vaccaro said. His main claim to fame was his role in developing and executing Michael Jordan's Air Jordan brand with Nike. A career and life riddled with contrasts added another Wednesday night when Sonny Vaccaro, who at 67 still describes himself as a renegade, gave a 90-minute speech at the Harvard Law School. . This video is no longer available for viewing. The man behind that courtship, Sonny Vaccaro, is played by Cambridge's own Matt Damon. According to the book, LeBron James Co. May 5, 2020 at 6:26 p. He left Nike in 1991. According to an exclusive from The Hollywood Reporter, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are working on a movie about. ” Vaccaro also arranged a Kobe Bryant deal and supports young basketball players. Share. Stats. For Sonny Vaccaro, “The Last Dance” was the last straw. Sonny Vaccaro and William Wesley operated in the same sphere of basketball, sneakers and money. Sonny Vaccaro is an American businessman and former sports marketing executive who has a net worth of $5 million. Audio: Sonny Vaccaro discusses his work on behalf of sneaker companies. In the fall of 1984, a 21-year-old Jordan inked a five-year deal with Nike for $2. 4 billion-net worth without the phenomenal Nike deal. Sonny Vaccaro deserves a lot more than that. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are reuniting once again, The Hollywood Reporter writes, this time for the true-life story of former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro in a. Even though Air Jordan is one of the most famous brands in the world, Convery said it remained suspenseful because Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) became such a strong character. This story is available courtesy of Portland. Despite being the man who signed Michael Jordan and. Go to main menu. The movie’s principal true believer is Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon). Some have criticized his role in creating unregulated recruiting systems around young talent, while others note he has been a staunch defender of young college basketball athletes. Damon will. Sonny Vaccaro is married to his wife, Pam Monakee. This choice was something that the co-founder of Nike, Phil Knight, did not agree with — and he took it upon himself to handle the situation. Months after best buds Ben Affleck and Matt Damon hit the set of their new movie, AIR, portraying Phil Knight and Sonny Vaccaro, the trailer for the highly anticipated. Sonny Vaccaro: ‘Greatness’ behind iconic Air Jordan brand introduced in ‘Air’ film. Despite the ugliness of the Bulls’ loss, the podcast’s main event today features the sports marketing giant responsible for the Michael Jordan marketing machine: Sonny Vaccaro. . NCAA lawsuit, which allowed players to be compensated. By Shikhar Verma May 17, 2023. Additionally,. Opinion: NCAA poised to let athletes cash in. The Amazon Studios film is the latest collaboration between Damon and Ben Affleck, the latter of whom directed, co-wrote, and co-starred in the project about Vaccaro’s efforts within Nike to. Damon portrays Trafford, Westmoreland County, native Sonny Vaccaro, the man who signed Michael Jordan to the deal that created Air Jordan tennis shoes. That is of course, until Sonny Vaccaro would take matters into his own hands. His marital history is not revealed in great depth. ” Vaccaro also arranged a Kobe Bryant deal and supports young basketball players. (AFP) NEW YORK. Former Sports Marketing Executive Net worth: $5 million Sonny Vaccaro is a former sports marketing executive who spent years promoting brands including Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. Some actors spend months preparing for their roles portraying real-world figures in motion pictures. Portland, OR ». ”. NEW YORK — Sonny Vaccaro and William Wesley operated in the same sphere of basketball, sneakers and money. Vaccaro sold a one-of-a-kind piece of Jordan’s black Air Jordan VIs in November 2020. Sonny Vaccaro is unaware of the exact reason Nike fired him. It also marks a significant chapter in Vaccaro’s life. It lived up to all my expectations and the movie was much more emotional than I previously expected, however, it failed to depict the truth of how Jordan signed with Nike. He is prominently known for his tenure at Nike, where he helped in bringing Michael Jordan aboard. Vaccaro, whose ideas helped found and propel the athletic footwear industry as we know it, drew a standing-room-only audience of 450 to. Steve Hartman and Rich Ohrnberger chat with Sports Marketing Legend Sonny Vaccaro about the upcoming film "Air," which details Vaccaro's historic pursuit of Michael Jordan with Nike. during which he signed Michael Jordan to his first sneaker deal. Founded by Nike co-founder Phil Knight and Sonny Vaccaro, the man who signed Michael Jordan to the global brand in 1984, AAU gained traction in the 1980s. The camp was sponsored by Adidas and run by legendary shoe company executive Sonny Vaccaro. Pam Monakee, Sonny Vaccaro’s wife, is his wife. Image via Warner Bros. Born in 1984, Vaccaro is best remembered for signing Michael Jordan with Nike, Inc. Legacy. Longtime sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro was working for Adidas at the time, and spoke with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson of Bally Sports about Bryant's eventful draft night, among other. Sonny Vaccaro is an institution in youth basketball. , during an interview with Footwear News, admitted with a laugh that he has done far more interviews in. Vaccaro who had an impact in helping Jordan get his $1. How Michael Jordan became the face of Nike. While he was a sports marketing executive for Nike, Adidas and Reebok, Sonny Vaccaro helped bring hundreds of millions in corporate endorsements to college sports. . “Air” bristles with the infectious energy of the man at its center: Sonny Vaccaro, who’s hustling to make the deal of a lifetime. Jordan pun setuju dan memulai debutnya untuk Chicago Bulls pada 26 Oktober 1984. On ne me l’a pas vendu ainsi mais comme un biopic sur Michael Jordan. Now he is part of a lawsuit to upend the very system he helped create. . It also marks a significant chapter in Vaccaro’s life. At 83, he is seeing the NCAA’s antiquated amateur model continue to take on water and student-athletes finally have the opportunity to benefit financially, whether it’s from NIL opportunities, the door the EA Sports news will unlock, or a potential revenue-sharing model. Vaccaro was recruited to play on the then-Youngstown University football team, but…Former Nike and Adidas marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro discussed the impending bidding war that the shoe companies will launch in pursuit of Williamson. To get him on board, Vaccaro must convince Nike’s co-founder and chairman Phil Knight that this newcomer is worth gambling everything on while the company is experiencing a rocky spell throughout the 1980s. He became the lead. 6 through 10, with the final two chapters on the 10th. The hero of the new movie "Air," released this week in the United States, is Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike employee who saw in a young Michael Jordan what "no one else had seen" and convinced the shoe. With Michael Stewart. 4 billion-net worth without the phenomenal Nike deal. Speaking of the online world, Lion tells an equally riveting story. Being fired from Nike made Vaccaro feel like he was " a. NEW YORK — Sonny Vaccaro and William Wesley operated in the same sphere of basketball, sneakers and money. Ruiz, New York. An ESPN 30 for 30 documentary about Vaccaro entitled "Sole Man" aired on April 16, 2015. C. Sonny Vaccaro is played by none other than Matt Damon in the 2023 biographical sports drama film, Air, which follows the origin of the Air Jordan shoe. Ben Affleck 's latest film, Air, is a true story based on Nike salesman Sonny Vaccaro 's successful signing of then-rising superstar Michael Jordan. Phil Knight is sinful. To make the story of Sonny Vaccaro and Nike even more interesting, after securing the company's biggest signing with Michael Jordan, he nearly stole their second most significant athlete, a high. (Courtesy of. NEW YORK, April 9 — The hero of the new movie Air, released this week in the United States, is Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike employee who saw in a young Michael Jordan what “no one else had seen” and convinced the shoe brand to forge a revolutionary partnership. Sole Man offers a snap-shot into how America's playground sport became a sophisticated and increasingly soulless business. . After the iconic signing of Michael Jordan to the Nike brand, Vaccaro. president, Mark. More. Backgrid. . Sonny Vaccaro, a prominent figure in the world of basketball, has amassed a significant net worth throughout his career. At only 24 years of age, the Pennsylvania native founded the Dapper Dan Roundball Classic in 1965. Of course, Nike got Kobe in 2003 but T-Mac remains under contract with Adidas to this day. Vaccaro has had dealings and connections to multiple sneaker brands – but "Air" zeroes in. Sonny Vaccaro is divisive. You’ve got to try…. Over lunch at a Chinese restaurant with Knight and a few others, he pitched his shoes. I'm going to look you in the eyes and I'm gonna tell you the future. Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, the eagle-eyed sports marketing executive who saw potential in Jordan as Nike’s latest big brand asset. MGM. He left Reebok in 2007 and hasn’t worked for another company. Sonny Vaccaro, center, who helped start many careers, with LeBron James, right, at an all-star game in 2003. Marketing All-Star Is Ready to Relax. Soul in Sports, and How We. In the first big strike for his new employer, Vaccaro signs a phenom named Kobe Bryant to a multimillion-dollar contract, an unprecedented deal for a player making the risky (and much-criticized) jump from high school to the NBA. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. The man who pushed for Nike to sign Michael Jordan coming out of North Carolina remains hurt and bitter over his omission from ESPN’s 10-part documentary last summer. In fact, he is the only player who was able to start a brand of his own called the Jordan Brand. While Air took some liberties with his pursuit of Jordan, Vaccaro was responsible for pushing for what was, at the time, a major gamble. Posted March 29, 2011. So where is the legend Sonny Vaccaro now? Read more. Oct 3, 2017. ’” Through wit and grit, Sonny Vaccaro, the Nike executive played by Matt Damon, has secured Jordan’s agreement — until Jordan’s mother, Deloris Jordan (Viola Davis), makes an additional demand. Sonny Vaccaro, the former Nike marketer who helped land Michael Jordan for the shoemaker, with Matt Damon, who plays Vaccaro in “Air. Phil Knight is sinful. He was initially referred to as a salesman by basketball traditionalists who said his only purpose was to glamorize the game and make money. The Ben Affleck-directed Air, now in theaters. 30 for 30: ‘Sole Man,’ Chapter 1 — How Sonny Became Sonny. His brilliant plan to grow a shoe. By Pete Thamel. m. Former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro is the main. The Roundball Classic, originally known as The Dapper Dan Roundball Classic (also known as Magic Johnson 's Roundball, Sonny Vaccaro 's Roundball Classic, EA Sports Roundball Classic, Asics Roundball Classic) is well known in the sports world as the first national high school All Star basketball game. Vaccaro made the social inroads and created the economic terrain, Rob Strasser trusted Sonny and led the marketing bonanza that turned MJ into basketball Mickey Mouse, and Peter Moore, Nike’s in. The documentary will re-air on Saturday (8:30 a. In this 1997 file photo, Sonny Vaccaro, center, and his wife, Pam Monakee, speak with Magic Johnson before a Los Angeles Sparks WNBA game. Sonny Vaccaro reacts to Matt Damon's portrayal in Nike 'Air' movie. We. 5 million. m. The back of his head was in a photo of Jordan’s historic meeting with Nike, the start of the most significant sports marketing partnership. John "Sonny" Vaccaro has long been cast as some kind of mafioso, strong-arming amateur basketball for much of his 63 years. [1] [2] [3] It was sponsored by and used as. Sole Man: Directed by Dan Marks, Jon Weinbach. Ryan had a chance to chat with actor Matt Damon and Sonny Vaccaro, the man who signed Michael Jordan to his first sneaker deal with Nike. By Henry AbbottLast week, basketball insider Sonny Vaccaro explained why he feels defensive about Brandon Jennings, and told the story of how he came to be so involved in Jennings' life and. At the time, Nike had stumbled, missing the aerobics boom,. Sonny Vaccaro, a name synonymous with basketball and sneaker culture, has left an unparalleled legacy in the sports industry. Sonny Vaccaro is a legend in this business, and the story of how he and Nike landed Michael Jordan has been turned into a movie, Air. on WFDU 89. “When Adidas lied to me, I quit.