The PSG x Jordan collaboration was a game changer, no doubt. The exclusive three-year partnership kicked off in 2018 and was extended for a further year in 2021, but now that deal is coming to an end with no sign of an extension. So does this mean the end of the ground-breaking, border-crossing team up? The short answer is no, but the key detail is in the word ‘exclusive’.
PSG and Jordan recently released the club’s new fourth kit for the 2022 season, and while we fully expect another kit from the pair next season, with the partnership likely to run until at least the 23/24 season, what it does signal is the end of the current culture-crossing deal that the pair have shared for the last four years as it has been. The Ligue 1 side have enjoyed exclusive rights to Jordan in football for the duration of the deal, which was extended by a year back in 2021, meaning that while PSG were repping the Jumpman, no other team could. But that now looks set to end, opening up a host of possibilities for the basketball brand to increase their influence in the game going forward. So what does this mean and what can we potentially expect in the future?
The unprecedented collaboration between PSG and Jordan has become one of the premium drops on the calendar, elevating in status with every passing campaign. What started as an all-out hype event has fast become a well accepted and expected presentation of pure fire, crossing cultures seamlessly as it brings two separate worlds together. The collaboration with Jordan was a key moment for PSG as they went about establishing themselves as the leading streetwear club in the world. It was an era-defining partnership, and other clubs from across Europe looked on with envious eyes.
But now Jordan has the option of expanding out beyond the partnership with PSG, and if there’s one thing that the crossover with the Parisians has done it’s show what the basketball brand are capable of in the footballing-sphere, making the potential for any further expansion very exciting. The presence of the Jumpman would be a sure way to instantly boost the appeal of any team, with the reach of such a collection extending way beyond the confines of the white lines. Of course Jordan still exists as a subsidiary of Nike, so when looking at prospective teams for Jordan to collaborate with in the future, there’s still the restriction of it having to be Swoosh-based teams. But there’s still plenty that fall into that category.
Could we see Jordan making an entrance into the Premier League with the likes of Liverpool or Chelsea? The Reds appear to have their basketball connections already lined up, with rumours of something in the pipeline with shareholder LeBron James, but Chelsea could be a serious option, with a strong footing in both Europe and at the top end of the Premier League, and a prime position in Nike's ranks. As a London-based team with a strong influence from their youth ranks, their potential seems somewhat untapped to date.
Away from England’s top flight and Inter Milan would be another obvious candidate, although if reports are to be believed their relationship with Nike appears to be on the rocks. So looking elsewhere and a premium team that currently carries the Swoosh and that would certainly benefit from the association with Jordan would be Barcelona. Since losing Lionel Messi the Catalan club have arguably also lost a large part of their identity, and they are undoubtedly going through a period of change on the pitch. So what better way to reinforce that reinvention than with a fresh partnership that would propel them back into the limelight? It would be a move that would instantly boost their global appeal, putting them back on the radar for people that don’t religiously follow the action in La Liga.
As for inspiration for such a collab, you only have to look at Michael Jordan’s previous association with the city, which dates back to the 1992 Olympics and a radical outfit that took the Blaugrana colours in a fully jazzed out direction. Recreate that for a Barca third kit and you’re virtually printing money.
So where does that leave PSG? For anyone feeling somewhat sorry for the French giants, don’t. The club are well established as the kings of the collab, and if anything the end of the exclusive deal with Jordan could free them up for more left-field hook ups, bringing other brands to the field that we wouldn’t otherwise expect. The club's recent partnering with Fly Nowhere instantly opens up and interesting avenue. Further afield and this season Napoli opened the door for Armani to enter the fray for example, and PSG, with their numerous connections, could certainly offer a similar route into the game for a fashion house with the appetite, albeit likely in a more premium and limited way, rather than the 12 kits and counting of the Italian side…
Recent collaborations with 3.Paradis and Stüssy have shown how PSG’s shirt designs can be accentuated by simple additions, and the influence from the fashion world is only going to help progress the world of jersey design. It’s something that should be embraced, and PSG are all about thinking outside the white-lined box that is the football pitch to expand football culture and bring us new and exciting directions to investigate. Sure it may not be for everyone, but you’ve got to be excited by the exploration.
The final point of note is, do we see more than one team at a time carrying the Jumpman? It looks like it could well be a possibility, but for us, if there are numerous teams able to boast a Jordan partnership, it would dilute that premium, special edition feel. For our money, it‘d be nice to see one or two teams max per season, making it still feel like a hype drop. Are PSG likely to want to share that space with several other teams at a time? Unlikely, and who can blame them when they have the access and reach that they do to stand alone.
PSG and Jordan didn’t just open doors, they smashed them to pieces, showing a new wave of what was possible in the realms of football fashion and starting a new chapter in football culture. Although it feels like that chapter may well be coming to a close soon, it leaves an exciting future open for both, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.
Shop PSG x Jordan clothing at prodirectsoccer.com
