The immense global success of documentary series "The Last Dance" amid has boosted sales of collectibles related to NBA great Michael Jordan, some of which are trading in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"Timing is everything," says Jordan Geller, a collector who on Sunday will be richer by at least $240,000 (Dh881,500) thanks to the sale at Sotheby's of a pair of Air Jordan 1 sneakers - the first model created especially by Nike for Michael Jordan, who made his NBA debut in 1984.
The game-worn pair could set an auction record for sneakers set last year by Nike's Moon Shoe, a pair of which sold for $437,500.
The various Air Jordans have been popular with collectors for 30 years, along with jerseys and trading cards featuring Jordan, who won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls and is widely considered the greatest player in history.
Many specialists consider Jordan a key figure in creating the market for collectible sneakers, with only non-sports personalities such as Kanye West or Travis Scott able to compete with him today.
But ESPN's 10-part documentary "The Last Dance" which weaves details of Jordan's entire career through the narrative of the Bulls' pursuit of a sixth NBA title, has ramped up interest in all things Jordan.
"I think this is a game-changer," Chris Ivy, director of sports collectibles at Heritage Auctions, said of the documentary series that was carried globally by Netflix.
Ivy predicted the interest fuelled by "The Last Dance" will continue.
On the StockX shoe resale platform, the Air Jordan 1 Chicago model now sells for up to $1,500, compared to $900 in March.
"That could be largely attributable to the documentary because that's a sneaker that's been on the market for years," says StockX economist Jesse Einhorn.
Likewise, a 1986 Fleer collector's card sold for $96,000 in early May at Heritage, an item that was worth $20,000 to $30,000 at the beginning of the year.
"A lot of people who had a sports cards collections as a kid have been frantically going through their attics to find those boxes and those binders," laughs Geoff Wilson, founder of the Sports Card Investor platform.
"I haven't seen anything like this, where it's well past his career," Ivy said, noting Jordan retired in 2003.
The excitement extends beyond Jordan himself. Sales of Bulls-branded items are up 400 per cent in May compared to last year on the sports merchandise site Fanatics.
And the market for basketball shoes is maturing, with support from a new generation of enthusiasts as evidenced by the emergence of trading platforms and the prices realised at auctions over the last three years.
"Sneaker collecting and reselling used to be underground activities that were enjoyed by a few sneaker heads," Geller said. "It's much more mainstream now."
The change has not escaped the notice of manufacturers, who have adapted their marketing and promotional strategies accordingly.
"Sneaker brands are catering to sneaker collectors by releasing more and more limited edition sneakers, so with smaller quantities demand goes through the roof."
Profile of Whizkey
Date founded: 04 November 2017
Founders: Abdulaziz AlBlooshi and Harsh Hirani
Based: Dubai, UAE
Number of employees: 10
Sector: AI, software
Cashflow: Dh2.5 Million
Funding stage: Series A
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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