Tech Billionaires and Basketball Stars Strike Landmark $200 Million Deal in New Film 'Air'

Nike co-founders Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman recruit basketball phenom Michael Jordan to a precedent-setting sneaker endorsement deal in Ben Affleck's new movie "Air."
As corporatization sets in, Jordan wrestles for control of his image and monetary worth while his agent, David Falk, maneuvers for leverage in negotiations.
The predominantly white executives at Nike, represented by Knight and led by the visionary Bowerman, recognize the cultural capital of Black celebrity at a pivotal moment.
"Air" dramatizes the origins of sneaker culture and the corporatization of cool, charting seismic shifts in sports, business, race, and pop culture in Reagan's America.
While taking dramatic license, "Air" celebrates the alliance of sports, youth culture, and commerce that produced a dominant symbol of Black aspiration and achievement in the Air Jordans.
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