In comparison to both companies, Nike has practically every sort of sportswear and shoe needed for almost any sport, whereas Jordan exclusively sells shoes for certain sports (basketball, baseball) and does not carry as much sportswear. Both brands might be highly pricey, however Nike is somewhat less expensive than Jordan. Nike was founded in 1972 by former University of Oregon track star Phil Knight and his business partner Dave Scott. They wanted to create a brand that offered consumers quality footwear at affordable prices. Over the years, Nike has expanded into other athletic products such as apparel, equipment, and even digital media. In 1995, Michael Jordan joined forces with Larry Bird's company, Bird, Smart & Weiss, to form "Air Jordan". This exclusive partnership produced some of basketball's greatest players including Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and others. In 2001, Nike acquired Jordan's contract, which had several more years left on it. Since then, Nike has been producing all sorts of shoes designed specifically for Jordan. You may have heard that Jordan is worth billions of dollars. That's because he has an estate worth over $300 million thanks in part to his huge merchandising deal with Nike. However, most of his money comes from sports contracts and royalties from shoe deals. Even though he's retired, Michael Jordan still plays a big role at Nike.