With the extension of Kobe Bryant’s five-year sponsorship deal with Nike, which expires in April, Vanessa Bryant and Propiedades Kobe Bryant have chosen not to renew the partnership, the player’s widow confirmed in a statement sent to ESPN on Monday night.
“Kobe’s contract with Nike expired on April 13, 2021. Kobe and Nike made some of the most beautiful basketball shoes in history, worn and adored by fans and athletes of all sports in the world,” Vanessa said. ESPN. “It seems more appropriate for more NBA players to use my husband’s product than any other tennis player.”
According to a source, Bryant and his real estate business were frustrated that Nike limited the availability of Kobe’s product during his retirement and after his death in January 2020 in a helicopter crash. There was also frustration with the unavailability of Kobe shoes to children’s sizes, according to sources.
Nike submitted a contract extension offer that did not meet the expectations of a similar “lifetime” structure to Nike Inc. contracts. signed by Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
“My hope will always be to allow Kobe fans to get and use their products,” Vanessa said. “I will continue to fight for this. Kobe products sell out in seconds. That says it all.
“I was hoping to enter into a lifelong partnership with Nike that would reflect my husband’s legacy. We will always do whatever it takes to honor Kobe and Gigi’s legacies. That will never change, “he said.
It is believed that all future sales of Kobe Bryant branded shoes and clothing manufactured by Nike will be stopped. Kobe Bryant’s assets could enter into negotiations with foreign brands to form a new association.
Vanessa Bryant also confirmed to ESPN that Kobe Bryant Properties also owns the rights to the “Mamba” logo and signature. The “Sheath” logo, frequently displayed on the tongue of Kobe’s shoes, is held by both parties, according to the source.
After scoring 60 points in his last NBA game on April 13, 2016, once nicknamed “Mamba Day” by Nike in an extravagant ad campaign, Bryant has prepared a five-year contract extension that will continue with the partnership. after his retirement.
Before he died, Bryant explored the notion of creating his own Mamba brand at the end of the existing agreement with Nike, including a meeting in December 2019 with a creative agency that could help design and manage a future series of products.
After initially signing with Nike in 2003, Bryant created an impactful partnership with the brand that lasted until the end of his career. He highlighted the sneaker by including the Zoom Huarache 2K4 and 2K5, the revolutionary Hyperdunk at the 2008 Olympics and 11 models in the Nike Kobe series.
With the release of Kobe IV during Bryant’s rebirth season in the 2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers championship, tennis design ushered in a new era of low NBA charts. Once worn by a handful of goalkeepers from all 30 teams, the low tops were subsequently worn by players of all positions on all teams. About half of the league currently carries the charts.
Once he retired from the NBA, a number of retro shoes and new models were sold over the next five years. Bryant used the term “Protro”, indicating that he wants to improve his past designs with modern constructions and technologies, a professionally updated retro edition of his previous shoes.
Kobe 1, 4, 5 and 6 have been relaunched by Protro letes in recent years. During the NBA bubble restart in the 2019-20 season, 102 players wore a Kobe shoe, the highest total for a player’s tennis.