How Spot-Bilt Nearly Landed The Air Jordan Deal

If you’re like me, the two-word combination of “Spot-Bilt” evokes… Let’s call it mild confusion. It has the sound of a knockoff LEGO company, and little-to-no brand recognition in this day in age.I

But in actuality, Spot-Bilt owns a pretty niche corner in both Michael Jordan and Bulls history. In fact, there’s a not-too-preposterous timeline where we’re all rocking Spot-Bilt kicks right now, with some perversion of the “Air Jordan” logo emblazoned on the front.

First, some background: Spot-Bilt was an American company founded in 1898 and, by the time Jordan was surveying his sneaker endorsement options in the mid-1980s, served as a subsidiary of Hyde Athletic, then a gradually up-and-coming men’s sportswear brand, primarily with runners… read more >