Son's Loyalty Costs Central Florida a Sports Apparel Deal
The University of Central Florida's $3 million, five-year contract with adidas isn't the biggest sports apparel deal for a college athletics department, but it is nothing to sneeze at, either. Or "was" nothing to sneeze at, it might be more appropriate to say. The sneaker manufacturer reportedly ended its relationship with Central Florida Wednesday night -- a decision announced via an e-mail message to the Orlando Sentinel -- because one of its men's basketball players, who happens to be Michael Jordan's son, insisted on wearing Nike shoes named for his father in the team's opening game. Marcus Jordan's decision to wear his Air Jordan shoes instead of the team's contracted adidas sneakers prompted this missive from an adidas spokeswoman: "The University of Central Florida has chosen not to deliver on their contractual commitment to adidas. As a result we have chosen not to continue our relationship with them moving forward."
