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Michael Jordan Made More Money off Sneakers in 2014 Than He Made in NBA Career

Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured ColumnistSeptember 14, 2015

Michael Jordan smiles at reporters after a jury ordered a defunct grocery store chain to pay him $8.9 million for using his name without permission. Friday, Aug. 21, 2015, in Chicago. Jurors had to calculate how much the now-defunct grocery chain Dominick's Finer Foods should pay Jordan for invoking his name in an ad without permission. They sent one note to the judge, saying:
Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

Michael Jordan made a lot of money in his NBA career. His signature brand Nike shoes have made him a lot more money, however.

And that was just in 2014.

According to an infographic by Lisa Overton that appeared on PBS.org, "Jordan made more money selling sneakers ($100 million) than he did during his entire 15-year career ($94 million)" in 2014, making him the "highest-paid retired athlete in the world last year."

It's hardly surprising. The line of Nike Air Jordans includes some of the most iconic products in the world, and much like the EA Sports Madden video game series with former coach and broadcaster John Madden, the attachment to its namesake has remained relevant long after Jordan retired. 

And given its wild popularity in 2014, it seems likely to remain relevant for many years to come.

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