Man I wish Nike signed AI

[darthska]

Looking at the entire Question/Answer line, I honestly don't know how Iverson can be happy.

I mean, he has his own line and can call that his own legacy, but it's a legacy of overall crap with a couple (maybe a few) nice shoes in there.

His Nike sig line would have evolved into something special, because he's marketable and he's a flashy guard. I think they would have used HIS shoe tointroduce new technologies, and we basically would have went from the hottest sneakers being Jordans and then transitioning to Penny's kicks and thentransitioning to Iverson's kicks (once Penny started to fall off) and then LeBron would have came through.

But I'm no psychic and that's all just speculation.

But I find it hard to believe that Nike would have failed at being more innovative and tastefully bold than Reebok has been for Bubba Chuck.

 

[pa greek]

Iverson is getting paid around $5 million a YEAR for LIFE from Reebok. aside from his actual shoes...dude is getting PAID even after he's not playing ballanymore...

 

[clutchshooter]

Iverson has a LIFETIME contract with Reebok. Their basketball category is weak, but showing signs of life.
your pulse reader is vastly different from mine.

ive always thought the H2k4 would be great as a sig shoe for ai.

light, with zoom, solid fit and traction with free feeling ankle support.

Iverson is getting paid around $5 million a YEAR for LIFE from Reebok. aside from his actual shoes...dude is getting PAID even after he's not playing ball anymore...


'lifetime' doesn't mean life long. it means career long.

no one is going to be paying ai 5 mill when he's 87.

it's possible he could remain a spokesperson for the company after he retires but even then it would only be until the company has no more use for him.

 

[jewelzm3]

I've always wonder what kind of sick kicks nike would of came up with for him. Nike air zoom Iverson.

 

[23king24]

if im not mistaken didnt nike make a sample pair of kicks for AI before he resigned his lifetime contract with reebok?

 

[Tummy Arashikage]

Had Nike actually signed him he would have been one of the best poster boys for the Zoom line. Imagine how much more that would have been awesome to see AIdoing Nike commercials than the commercials he did with RBK... Jadakiss hahaha.... Anyway it all comes down to the money for some people and that is usuallywhat is more important than brand loyalty, and for AI he kind of helped RBK in a way with the Question's one of my fav non-nikes. I remember the bluequestion's coming out his rookie year and it sold out at Champs here where I'm from before the Obsidian and white/red AJ XII's (SERIOUSLY) And Iremember how the white/red Q's was only in the East Coast for a short time... His Legacy should really be what he did on the court not what he wore on thecourt. But it is agreed that after the IV's his line died off as his NBA championship hopes...

 

[phillyjayking]

Gentry said in an interview that they wanted to sign him and even made a sheo for and called it the bubba chuck. I wish AI had signed with Nike , anddidn't sign a life time contract with reebok. could you imagine an AI with Nike checks. ZOOM IVERSONS, Reebok has been doing him dirty for years! and he isone of the greatest ever! yeah the Questions and Answer 1 were hot , I even had the 2, but that was it!!nothin hot dropped after that...

 

[i3]

Imagine if AI rocked those white/blue/grey XIIIs with the blue Sixers uniform.. damn.

 

[ssgefiestoakagerger]

Originally Posted by u ttocs

Nike had his contract ready. But AI decided to go with Reebok because it was different and wanted his own legacy.

So many athletes thought they could make a name for in the sneaker industry away from Nike, but failed.

 

[bossplaya0625]

I think it was a good look for him to sign with Reebok, IMO he's the best player to have sign with them. The first two sigs were so hot, you couldn'teven buy them in stores cause they would sell out so quick. His shoes have been blah ever since. I remeber he said he'd stay Reebok because of theirloyalty to him (even when he got in trouble) and I'm pretty sure Nike would've dropped. There's still video of him on youtube during his G'Townyears and he always had fresh Nikes or J's on so its all good...he's still the greatest check the avi lol.

 

[kyc123]

My thoughts exactly... his latest stuff has been forgettable

 

[pa greek]

Originally Posted by Clutchshooter

Iverson has a LIFETIME contract with Reebok. Their basketball category is weak, but showing signs of life.

your pulse reader is vastly different from mine.

ive always thought the H2k4 would be great as a sig shoe for ai.

light, with zoom, solid fit and traction with free feeling ankle support.

Iverson is getting paid around $5 million a YEAR for LIFE from Reebok. aside from his actual shoes...dude is getting PAID even after he's not playing ball anymore...


'lifetime' doesn't mean life long. it means career long.

no one is going to be paying ai 5 mill when he's 87.

it's possible he could remain a spokesperson for the company after he retires but even then it would only be until the company has no more use for him.

in the future, i'd suggest you check your facts before you challenge my posts.http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/sixers/2001-11-28-iverson-reebok.htm

 

[pppeng]

i cant imagine ai rocking non -reebok kicks, but it would've been nice. zoom iverson # ___ , sounds good
my fav answers are the vii, viii and im lovin the question 3s he is wearing this season
GO NUGGETS!

 

[kash55]

Meh, It doesn't make a difference.
Reebok did a great job in the early 2000's with his marketing and great shoes.

At AI's peak popularity, Reebok was there. Great commercials and shoes. I remember EVERYBODY had Answer shoes.
In the past 3 years it has gone down, but so has his marketability.

 

[true 3 blue]

the only Iverson's I ever liked:

Either those ^^ or the suede toe version.

 

[clutchshooter]

in the future, i'd suggest you check your facts before you challenge my posts.

'challenge' your post? are you kidding?

who exactly are you that i should think twice before i 'challenge' you?

where exactly in this article you linked to does it say that iverson is getting paid for life?

i alluded to the fact that iverson could stay on as a spokesperson for rbk after his career ended, which is all this article seems to say.

PHILADELPHIA - Allen Iverson signed a lifetime endorsement and marketing contract with Reebok on Wednesday.

The deal is an extension of the 10-year, $50 million deal the Philadelphia star and Hampton, Va. native signed after being selected by the 76ers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft.

"Allen's love for the game is clearly demonstrated each time he takes the court," said Paul Fireman, chairman and chief executive officer of Reebok International Ltd.

"Anyone who watches Allen knows he plays for the love of the game, which provides today's youth with an example of how to live their lives as all of us want for our children."

Iverson, the league's reigning MVP, has had to overcome a bad boy image to land one of the largest contracts signed by Reebok. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but Fireman said he'd never before signed a "lifetime" deal for Reebok.

"It shows a lot of commitment, and hopefully I can stand up to my part," Iverson said. "I didn't have the greatest past in the world, but they always stood by me and always stood up for me when times were bad. This is another time they stood by me and I'm just looking forward to doing the best I can for Reebok."

Fireman said the contract extends beyond Iverson's career on the court.

"We don't consider our relationship to end when his career does," Fireman said. "We believe we can continue to bring forth products and engage consumers on Allen's behalf and ours for years after his career is over."

Reebok will unveil a new advertising campaign featuring Iverson early next year. Iverson's signature shoe, "The Answer," has been among the top sellers in the industry since its inception five years ago.

Iverson had a simple message for children and others buying his products.

"I hope they see me as a human being, somebody just like them, not better or worse," Iverson said. "I'm just like everybody else. I'm trying to get better as a basketball player and as a person."

Iverson is scheduled to make $11.25 million from the Sixers this season, and is signed through 2004-05 for a total of an additional $40.5 million.


where does it say they are paying dude until he's dead?

dont avoid that question. answer it. you claimed ai was getting 'around 5 mill a year for life'.

where in that article does it say that iverson is getting 5 mill a year for life?

no one is paying ai when he's ancient.

no major company would make up a contract like that.

a vastly aged iverson will have little to no marketing potential. surely the respect of the basketball community, but marketing potential valuable enough to bea multimillion dollar endorser for a major atheletic company?

it's not like there will be people sitting around in a reebok board room saying "Hey remember that guy who was really popular 45 years ago? wellwe're still paying him 5 million dollars a year just to be him. Since 5mill is chump change im ok with that, let's keep paying him, and not attempt toend the contract eventhough he serves us no purpose whatsoever and is essentially a huge money bleed on the company."

because major companies do stuff like that all the time.

you must be right eventhough it goes against any logic of smart business

.

 

[aschwartz44]

As said earlier, RBK did great with him when he was peaking. You can't always assume he would have been better off if he had signed with Nike.

 

[cwk]

I had always assumed that the "lifetime" contract referred to his natural lifespan as opposed to the length of his career. I stand corrected.

[h1]Reebok Has The Answer…For Life; Lifetime Partnership between Reebok and NBA MVP Allen Iverson Advances Reebok's Goal to Become MostVisible Footwear & Apparel Brand in Sports[/h1][h2]Business Wire, Nov 28, 2001 [/h2]
CANTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 28, 2001

Deal Includes Extended Line of I-3 Signature Products and Increased Television and Print Advertising Featuring Iverson

After five successful years as on and off-court partners, Reebok and star basketball guard Allen Iverson have signed a lifetime contract, a deal which guarantees Iverson remains a Reebok endorsed athlete throughout his professional career.

 

[clutchshooter]

^the thing is, it couldn't possibly be profitable for a company to sign someone for their life span.

the 'lifetime' deal was just a way to lock him up as a reebok athlete for his career, and possible for a while after as a spokes person. theydidn't want him to bounce elsewhere at the time as he was the reigning MVP and the most popular player in the NBA.

reebok most likely has the option to buyout the contract anytime they see fit.

in fact id bet that if ai becomes one of those players that sticks around too long in the NBA eventhough his skills diminish and goes ring chasing thatwe'll see him in swooshes.

 

[zombiejesus12]

What ASchwartz44 said.

It took Nike what, like 5 years to put out ONE commercial for Kobe, the best basketball player on the planet? Part of the reason AI stayed with RBK is becausehe liked how loyal they were, sticking with him through thick and thin. Apparently, given Nike's "no! we'll call them the Huarache 2k4! Nothing todo with Kobe!" approach to controversy, I think it's best he's with RBK.

Attention hasn't necessarily been paid, but the AI line has been on point for the majority of its run. The A, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11 and Q3 have allplayed well to varying degrees, so that's about a 80% average. Not too bad. Besides, I don't know how many of you have destroyed your Nike shoes in twomonths like I have, but the quality of materials in the AI lines has been vastly superior to similar Nike products, and they hold up much longer. I know Ilaugh every time I see cats talking about using the hair dryer to make an air bubble clear or throwing shoes in the freezer to make them last, because i have apair of OG Q lows with a clear blue-tinted sole that is still clear, still blue (not yellow - you heard me) and the hexalite is its original color. What elsecould you ask for?

Let's not get too crazy just because you're disappointed with the looks or whatever of a couple Answer shoes. For those of us looking for a signatureNash shoe in retailers, or the Kobe 2 Lite, or the Paul Pierce sig model we know that Nike doesn't always pay attention to everyone they sign.

 

[True Blues]

I agree, yes, I would have rather seen AI in Swooshes-- but let's not forget, in the late 90's-early 00's, AI was being marketed creatively(remember "The Move"?) and had some great sneakers. At that time, Iverson represented the "new" NBA, and his sneakersreflected that rebellion. I can recall a time when almost everyone was hooping in at least something Reebok, whether it was the sneakers, "TheAnswer" wristbands or the strange long arm sleeve. The Question, The Answer 3 and The Answer 4 are all classics in my opinion; while the The Answer 1 and2 are certainly memorable.

Reebok has had it's share of misnomers, and I would agree they have dropped the ball with regard to their basketball line-up. However, the I3 brand is farfrom a flop. Hell, I don't even like Iverson, Reebook or his shoes particularly (I still don't know what DMX Lite was really supposed to do??), but youhave to recognize the line's success-- especially in that 1997-2002 period.

A look back:

 

[stizzle79]

the only good shoe he had was the question 1 other then that all of the other shoe he had was trash even the answer 1's

 

[macgyver35]

quote:

Rbk did a great job with AI back in the day. Its just today that people don't buy sneakers like they used to and AI's popularity has gone down.

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co-sign

 

[guillermo gutierez]

my favorites....

(GOAT of the line imo)

i liked the look of these, but OMG i cannot believe how horrible the cushioning was. it was in the negatives, i cant believe he aint break his feet. and theysmelled like farts. but still

 

[redman]

I dont think nike would offer AI a life time contract like reebok did. As long as he doesn't do anything stupid he is paid for LIFE.