Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro while the role of Phil Knight is essayed by Affleck. George Raveling: Jessica Green: Katrina Sainz: Julius Tennon: James Jordan: Who is in 'AIR' in 2023?. In the same year, Jordan signed a record-breaking $2. CHANG: When Jordan's agent, a hilariously foul-mouthed Chris Messina, refuses to so much as grant Nike. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. The biopic will focus on sneaker salesman Sonny Vaccaro. Mais ce n'est. Courtesy of Amazon Studios. In the film, Vaccaro first met with Jordan through his friend George Raveling, who was the assistant to the national team coach, Bobby Knight. Chris Tucker as Howard W. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob. . The story will center. Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser in 'Air. Image via Amazon Studios Where did Nike, a brand that was barely. Jordan credits Raveling ( played in the film by Marlon Wayons ), a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer who in 1983 became Iowa’s first African American men’s. Getty Images Vaccaro and Raveling were close friends during their time at Nike, so much so that Raveling was. He was replaced by George Raveling, the best man at Vaccaro’s wedding, who also talked crap about Sonny in the press for doing the same stuff that Nike Hired George to do, an attempt by Knight. Jordan Sr. Click “Start your 30-day free trial “. 5 million contract with Nike, which paved the way for the debut of the Air Jordan shoe line. George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. On the morning of September 25, 1994, Raveling's Jeep was blindsided in a. " "I stayed at [Jordan's] home," Vaccaro said. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob Knight). Below are step-by-step instructions for how to sign up for Amazon Prime Video’s free trial. Instead, he briefly met Jordan with the help of his old friend George Raveling, pitching Jordan the idea of a shoe designed solely around him. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. John (Sonny) Vaccaro has clout. However, the founder of Nike, Phil Knight spoke against Vaccar. It stars Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris. and George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) who helped. “George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. ". ''But that's not. With that, all of the country’s top high school talent — and college coaches — descended on Pittsburgh to see the best of the best play. . Ben Affleck as Phil Knight. In Air, Damon’s Sonny Vaccaro,. However, after he met George Raveling at a bar in California, he knew what he had to do. George Raveling Another stern request Jordan had before giving Affleck his blessing to make the film was for the inclusion of one of his coaches at the 1984 Olympics, George Raveling. Jason Bateman. The duo are joined by Viola Davis as Michael Jordan’s. Matthew Maher as Peter Moore. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling . George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. Director (and Boston’s own) Ben Affleck’s latest tells the tale of. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. ”. Vaccaro, on the podcast, responded to Jordan's comments: "Michael is delusional. That said, the part in the film in which Sonny Vaccaro visits Deloris in North. Air, a sports biopic drama, is the newest collaborative effort between Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who both star in the film. The movie AIR is a story about Sonny Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon) and the journey he takes the Nike team on to sign Michael Jordan with them. . O. Sonny Vaccaro. Despite his rumored deal with Adidas, Vaccaro believes that Jordan is the generational talent that will change Nike forever and after an inspirational chat with George Raveling, Vaccaro decides to. KGW speaks with Sonny Vaccaro, portrayed by Matt Damon in upcoming film 'Air'. "Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. basketball trailblazer George Raveling, who was the first Black coach in two iconic. Comedian Marlon Wayans was tapped to play George Raveling, who served as an assistant coach for the 1984 U. Sonny Vaccaro is a former sports marketing executive who spent years promoting brands including Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. “One thing Sonny Vaccaro was very clear with me about was that the feelings of camaraderie, friendship and loyalty are his takeaways from that time. He asked his old friend George Raveling, one of the coaches of the National Olympic team, to contact Micheal Jordan and set up a meeting. Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Vaccaro went to great lengths to convince Jordan, first meeting with his friend George Raveling (played by Marlon Wayans), assistant coach to Team USA’s basketball team. Raveling, if you didn’t know, used to be a college coach (he coached Harold Miner at USC) and is basically the archenemy of Sonny Vaccaro, his ex-best friend who split from Nike back in the day. Three days later, the trailer aired during the 2023 Super Bowl. Chris Tucker as Howard White. '" Vaccaro, on the podcast, responded to Jordan. Olympic men's basketball team, to bring Michael Jordan to lunch. Con todo, Sonny Vaccaro perseveró y, a través de George Raveling, el asistente del entrenador de la selección nacional Bobby Night, logró contactar al deportista. "I traveled to. ’” George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. Nike. Vaccaro claimed about being investigated by the FBI for corporate espionage after he got fired from Nike. He recently appeared on the Brown and. The film, about how Nike signed Michael Jordan in 1984, also stars Matt Damon as Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro. In the fall of 1984, a 21-year-old Jordan inked a five-year deal with Nike for $2. Chris Messina as David Falk, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard. Then, Rob and I met with Falk at the meeting at the Hermitage [hotel in. So he flies to Los Angeles and seeks advice from his good friend George Raveling, the famed Olympic basketball coach, played here by Marlon Wayans. Sonny Vaccaro, the former shoe marketer widely credited with inventing the summer basketball scene, seethed as he watched the news conference. Former basketball coach George Raveling (left) is. By Shikhar Verma May 17, 2023. Having spotted a promising basketball player called Michael Jordan, Vaccaro believes that this young man will help Nike outpace the competition as the new face of the brand. Sonny Vaccaro Michael Jordan. Here’s what the distributor says about their film: “Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), a shoe salesman at Nike, works to sign rookie Michael Jordan to a deal to wear their shoes. -George Raveling movie quotes from AIR (2023) You got it. Enter a livewire Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, a sweaty schlub in charge of Nike's flailing basketball division. Michael Jordan himself has also given credit to George Raveling for. From Sonny Vaccaro to Deloris Jordan, here is what you need to know about the real people who inspired the characters in Ben Affleck's 'Air. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. m. Follows the history of sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan. Julius Tennon as James R. Jordan wanted his mom, Deloris Jordan (Viola Davis), to be a focal point in the story, and asked for the inclusion of key people like Howard White (Chris Tucker) and George Raveling (Marlon Wayans. Marlon Wayans (The Curse of Bridge Hollow) as George Raveling, Jordan’s assistant coach on the 1984. Nike employee Sonny Vaccaro believes. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling and Chris. 5 million contract with Nike, which paved the way for the debut of the Air Jordan shoe line. In reality, Vaccaro met with Michael Jordan at Tony Roma's with George Raveling (portrayed in "Air" by Marlon Wayans) before Vaccaro and Deloris Jordan began speaking over the phone. Air will be led by Affleck and Damon as they portray the respective roles of Nike co-founder Phil Knight and sports marketing executive John Paul Vincent “Sonny” Vaccaro. However, after he met George Raveling at a bar in California, he knew what. -Phil Knight movie quotes from AIR (2023) We need you in these shoes, not to have meaning in your life, but so we can have meaning in ours. Getty Images Vaccaro and Raveling were close friends during their time at Nike, so much so that Raveling was. -Sonny. Instead. After Vaccaro was let go by Nike and replaced by his best friend George Raveling, and he moved to Adidas where he snagged big names Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant for the brand, but also let others like Allen Iverson slip to Reebok. '. Affleck stars as the billionaire and former Nike CEO Phil Knight, while Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike marketing executive in charge of expanding Nike’s presence in basketball. Marlon Wayans plays college basketball coach George Raveling, who signed him to the brand. and George Raveling. Vaccaro was a key. Now Raveling works for Nike and he and Sonny are former friends. The second person Michael gives credit to for his deal with Nike is George Raveling, who had been convincing him to go with Nike for years. A friend of Vaccaro’s, Raveling first introduced the idea of signing Nike and Jordan. Sonny Vaccaro was a central figure in the O’Bannon v. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Played by Matt Damon. Vaccaro also had a big hand in helping UCLA's Ed O'Bannon bring down the NCAA's stronghold on. Sonny Vaccaro skipped the standard practice and contacted Michael Jordan’s family directly, talking directly with Michael’s mother, Deloris. This image released by Amazon Prime Video shows Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, left, and and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in a scene from "Air. Knight said Vaccaro helped but “wasn’t the. George Raveling. Sonny Vaccaro, now 78 years old, is on the phone with me, and he’s not only keen on telling me about his stories, but also on knowing who he’s speaking to. Matt Damon’s Nike apparel player scout Sonny Vaccaro enters a convenience store (painstakingly re-created to authentically match the era, right down to athletes on cereal boxes), also casually. AIR. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore,. Net worth: $5 million. Raveling introduced Jordan to Vaccaro, and Jordan told USA Today that Raveling kept telling him, “You gotta go Nike, you gotta go Nike. George Raveling, a basketball coach, was the best man at their wedding. With Nike convinced, Vaccaro and then-friend George Raveling got a sitdown lunch with Michael Jordan at Tony Roma’s in Los Angeles during the 1984 Olympic training camp. Damon takes on the role of Sonny Vaccaro, the sneaker salesman who believed Michael Jordan was going to be the big basketball star that he became. Amazon Studios has released NEW STILLS for their upcoming AIR! AIR features an all-star cast, including Matt Damon as maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Ben Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. February 9, 2023. Writer: Alex Convery. Alex G. There’s also a fascinating section detailing Vaccaro’s strained relationship with George Raveling, the best man at his wedding, with whom he had a falling out, Vaccaro says, after he refused. Jordan weighed in, as did Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Nike executive George Raveling, former Nike basketball adviser Sonny Vaccaro and former Nike executive Peter Moore. Comedian Marlon Wayans was tapped to play George Raveling, who served as an assistant coach for the 1984 U. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob Knight). Raveling took up a rival. Jordan said Vaccaro “likes to take credit” but that it was marketing executive and former basketball player George Raveling who sold him on Nike. Naturally, Jordan has expressed his gratitude towards Vaccaro but credits former coach George Raveling for first encouraging the now-60-year-old to sign a deal with Nike. Nike colleges. Wetzel knew Sonny wasn’t exactly thrilled with the book, but it didn’t affect their relationship and the mutual respect. You've got to try. Matt Damon and Viola Davis in a. Post the ideation, Sonny’s next task was to persuade the NBA player to ditch Adidas and convert into a Nike enthusiast. Vaccaro was a significant figure in the. He was replaced by George Raveling, the best man at Vaccaro’s wedding, who also talked crap about Sonny in the press for doing the same stuff that Nike Hired George to do, an attempt by Knight. The starry cast includes Damon as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. -Sonny Vaccaro; I think I’m going to be remembered. Directed by Ben Affleck, this '80s-set movie based on real events stars Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike. In an attempt to find support among the people close to Jordan, Vaccarro gets in touch with George Raveling, who coached Jordan. Vaccaro later visits a 7-Eleven convenience store, posing the same question to a store clerk while purchasing a Sports Illustrated magazine. Smart guy. Damon stars as Sonny Vaccaro, the maverick Nike salesman who signed rising basketball player Michael Jordan to a shoe contract in the mid-’80s that launched the global, multibillion-dollar. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob. Follows the history of sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan. How to watch 'Air' movie. Well, all of. Phil Knight (Affleck) and Marketing V. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling,” Jordan told USA Today. Getting Fired from Nike. Is the 2023 movie Air good or bad?War is hell: Former USC coach George Raveling stood up at Vaccaro’s wedding. As the real George also notes on his Linkedin page, he was instrumental in the Nike. And then he [Michael Jordan] talked at length about his. Ben Affleck, who directs the film, stars as Nike co-founder and former chairman Phil Knight. In “Air” Sonny was conflicted about how to get Michael Jordan over the line so he flew to Los Angeles, seeking advice from this friend George Raveling, famed American Olympic basketball coach. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Starring the dynamic duo of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, the movie weaves a captivating narrative around Vaccaro’s audacious endeavor. Comedian Marlon Wayans was tapped to play George Raveling, who served as an assistant coach for the 1984 U. " Ana Carballosa/Prime. Sonny meets his good friend, George Raveling, who had crucially been the coach of the US basketball team at the. You’ve got to try. ’ It centers on the efforts of Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro (played by Damon) as he persuades CEO Phil Knight (played by Affleck) to bet big on Jordan. Raveling's prediction: International players will comprise 50% of the NBA by 2010. George Raveling, the pioneering African-American college basketball coach, crossed paths with Martin Luther King Jr. The story depicts a high-stakes gamble by an unconventional team, a determined mother and the legendary basketball player who became the. Once Nike agreed, Vaccaro used his close friend, basketball coach George Raveling, to connect him to Jordan. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) goes on to say “There’s nothing cool about Nike. Olympic team that won gold in LA. S. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler, and Julius Tennon. The duo are joined by Viola Davis as Michael Jordan’s. Air will be led by Affleck and Damon as they portray the respective roles of Nike co-founder Phil Knight and sports marketing executive John Paul Vincent “Sonny” Vaccaro. CEO Phil Knight (Affleck) tells Damon’s Sonny Vaccaro like a disappointed dad,. Sonny Vaccaro is a former sports marketing executive who spent years promoting brands including Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. playing basketball coach George Raveling, laments in the trailer. Davis stars as Jordan’s mom, Deloris Jordan, while Damon portrays the character of Sonny Vaccaro – the marketing exec at Nike who managed to get Jordan to sign with the brand. Sonny Vaccaro Michael Jordan. But it really wasn't Sonny, it was actually George Raveling," Jordan told USA Today in 2015. Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. Directed by Ben Affleck, the movie stars Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, who comes up with the idea of a shoe line created around Jordan. White in 'Air'. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. 5 million over five years with a 25 per cent royalty on every shoe. Matt Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, a former sports marketing executive who had the genius idea to sign Michael to his first-ever sneaker deal. Together, the Jordans and Nike changed the shoe industry forever. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. The package is worth approximately $100,000, according to Nike’s George Raveling. Affleck serves as director and co-producer alongside Damon, David. We start from T-Mac, and from that. Memorable parts by Chris Tucker as Howard White, who traded his basketball uniform for a corporate suit, and Marlon Wayans as 1984 Olympics coach George Raveling notwithstanding, “Air” often. George Raveling (Marlon Wayans), to put in a good word, Raveling declares that following the “I Have a Dream” speech in. and George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) who. Deloris Jordan is portrayed by Viola Davis. ) to hear their proposal. George Raveling was the best man at Sonny Vaccaro’s wedding and so it’s obvious that the two had a great relationship with one another. By remaining on this website, you indicate your consent. Dream teams don't come much dreamier than the cast of Air. Matt Damon stars as Vaccaro while Ben Affleck, who also directs, plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight. ". Marlon Wayans will play George Raveling, a trailblazer in college basketball who was the first Black coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Pacific-10. The untitled movie will tell “the incredible story of how maverick sneaker salesman Sonny Vaccaro. While Sonny Vaccaro is the main character in ‘Air’ as the story revolves around his belief in Michael Jordan more so than anybody, Michael himself has said that another man was just as instrumental, if not more, in bringing him to Nike. The cast also includes Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling and Chris Tucker as Howard White. Comedian Marlon Wayans was tapped to play George Raveling, who served as an assistant coach for the 1984 U. George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. "Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. You’ve got to try. E. (Jason Bateman) and Howard White (Chris Tucker); college ball coach George Raveling (Marlon Wayans); and Jordan’s mom Deloris (Viola Davis) — essentially. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob Knight). Sonny Vaccaro and his wife Pam live in Calabasas, California. Affleck and Damon, who co-wrote the screenplay (Ben directs), respectively co-star as Nike co-founder Phil Knight and former Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro, a sneaker salesman who set his sights on. He asked his old friend George Raveling, one of the coaches of the National Olympic team, to contact Micheal Jordan and set up a meeting. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Car crash and coaching retirement, 1994. Wayans has been cast as college basketball trailblazer George Raveling, who was the first Black coach in two iconic conferences—the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Pacific-10. on a landmark. As other companies also try to court Jordan, Nike must enlist the help of his former coach George Raveling (played by Wayans). Vaccaro and basketball coach George Raveling had been close friends, to the point that Raveling was the best man at Sonny's second wedding. Raveling was a dear friend of. Sonny Vaccaro credits his relationship with Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris, as the catalyst for one of the most significant deals in sports marketing history. The phone call with Jordan’s terribly unpleasant yet curiously impressive sports agent, David Falk, only gave Vaccaro the unusual and risky idea to go behind his back and speak to Deloris directly. 22:03. With only $250,000 to spend on a few players, schlubby basketball scout Sonny Vaccaro (Damon) is the one tapped to find the court stars who can take Nike to the promised land, though most of the. Sonny was hired by Phil Knight (portrayed by Affleck) to revamp his basketball shoe division, which has only gotten smaller since Vaccaro’s arrival. He fell out with Sony over a high school summer basketball camp business operated by Sonny. Ben Affleck directed AIR and stars as Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight, alongside Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, the basketball expert who saw the potential of signing a talent like Jordan, and Viola Davis as Michael Jordan's mother Deloris. ” With Vaccaro at Adidas and his former best friend George Raveling running grassroots basketball at. Sonny Vaccaro is a former sports marketing executive who spent years promoting brands including Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. Ben Affleck as Phil Knight in AIR. From Sonny Vaccaro to Deloris Jordan, here is what you need to know about the real people who inspired the characters in Ben Affleck's 'Air. Cast: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Matthew Maher, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker and Viola Davis. Courtesy of Amazon Studios. Knight took exception to. Vaccaro also has to convince Jordan to sign with Nike despite a previous preference for Adidas. , Saturday, October 14, 2023. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. Once Nike agreed, Vaccaro used his close friend, basketball coach George Raveling, to connect him to Jordan. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling; Chris Messina. Three days later, the trailer aired during the 2023 Super Bowl. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore,. With Sarah Claspell, Shannon Coffey, Nicole Drespel, Melissa Gomez. “There’s nothing cool about Nike,” Marlon Wayans ’s character George Raveling says in the first trailer for. You’ve got to try. The company had a modest goal of earning $3 million from the sneakers over a three-year period. "George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob. ”. Back then, Sonny was laughed at by Nike honchos Howard White (Chris Tucker), Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) and George Raveling (Marlon Wayans). Affleck directs Damon for the first time as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, while he also steps in front of the camera to play Nike co-founder Phil Knight, with Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris. The biopic comes from Amazon Studios, Mandalay Pictures, and Skydance Sports. Sonny met Michael almost immediately after the 1984 Summer Olympics and was introduced by George Raveling (who is played by Marlon Wayans in Air), who coached the U. As the film's version of Nike. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant. . George Raveling is a former Olympics basketball coach who worked with Jordan at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Jordan. Led by music supervisor Andrea von Foerster, the film is a throwback to 1984 in a huge way, with plenty of songs by well-known solo artists and bands. P. Sonny Vaccaro was planning to pursue other business plans that did not involve Nike. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. S. Collaborators and longtime friends Affleck and Damon reunite as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro and Nike co-founder Phil Knight, respectively. DAMON: (As Sonny Vaccaro) The most competitive guy I have ever seen. Getty Images Vaccaro and Raveling were close friends during their time at Nike, so much so that Raveling was the best man at Vaccaro’s second wedding. ” Sonny Vaccaro: That’s not what it means. Ben Affleck 's latest film, Air, is a true story based on Nike salesman Sonny Vaccaro 's successful signing of then-rising superstar Michael Jordan. The plot. ” Raveling played at Villanova and coached at Washington. Rounding out the cast is Chris Tucker as Howard White, Jason Bateman as Strasser, Matthew Maher as Moore, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst. Raveling had a close personal relationship with Vaccaro at that time. RELATED: Ben Affleck and Matt Damon to Star in Biopic About Nike's Sonny Vaccaro. . George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. 00:00. -George Raveling; Your voice tells you to do some stupid sh!t. is on the verge of bankruptcy due to low footwear sales. Matt Damon and Viola Davis in a scene from the movie AIR. The former NBA Champion claimed that a Nike Executive named George Raveling was responsible for his change of heart. Sonny Vaccaro and basketball coach George Raveling were close friends, so Raveling was Sonny’s second wedding best man. One could make an argument that the system which has developed through greedy businessmen building on Vaccaro's. George Raveling, Director for International Basketball for Nike, played by Marlon Wayans. . Marlon Wayans as George Raveling Chris Tucker as Howard White Jason. He asked his old. (Jason Bateman) and Howard White (Chris Tucker); college ball coach George Raveling. Michael Jordan was not interested in signing the deal with Nike at first, but Vaccaro convinced Deloris Jordan in the early 1980s and used that connection to sign Jordan to his first. With Nike convinced, Vaccaro and then-friend George Raveling got a sitdown lunch with Michael Jordan at Tony Roma’s in Los Angeles during the 1984 Olympic training camp. “Air” is the origin story of a shoe, and not just any shoe. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, former Team USA assistant coach; Chris Messina as David Falk,. Ben Affleck as Phil Knight. Raveling became Sonny's competitor in the same position at Nike. Nike CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) meets with salesman Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) and expresses his growing disappointment with the company's performance and lack of vision around the basketball. Vaccaro sought the help of his close friend and basketball coach, George Raveling, to reach out to Jordan. With that mantra as his guiding force, Affleck orchestrated a feel-good story that traces former Nike marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro’s steps in 1984 as he vied to lift the company’s. But George Raveling knew all of Vaccaro’s tricks, and according to former Nike and Adidas executive David Bond, the former best friends “were doing whatever they could to get the key players. Sonny Vaccaro is a former sports marketing executive who spent years promoting brands including Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. You’ve got to try. He clarified that while Sonny Vaccaro often takes credit, it was actually George Raveling who played a significant role. Advert 10George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. Few figures in sportswear are as impactful as the great Sonny Vaccaro. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Michael Jordan says marketing executive George Raveling, not Sonny Vaccaro, sold him on signing. Damon portrays sneaker salesman. The heart and soul of Air really come from the idea of putting belief in oneself or another. Sonny Vaccaro talks the accuracy of 'Air' with FN and remembers his unforgettable speech at Nike HQ to Michael Jordan and his family. The footage features Nike CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) questioning Sonny Vaccaro. Falk, Raveling, and White are all people involved with either Jordan or Nike, while Viola. who plays coach George Raveling. Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. He meets with Sonny Vaccaro in Los Angeles, and that's when the Nike. Ben Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight and Matt Damon plays shoe salesman-turned Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro. George Raveling was an assistant coach for the Team USA basketball squad at the 1984 Olympics. George Raveling is a former Olympics basketball coach who worked with Jordan at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. Revelling/Reckoning: Directed by Zach Neumeyer. Sonny Vaccaro talks the accuracy of 'Air' with FN and remembers his unforgettable speech at Nike HQ to. Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. Matt Damon is Sonny Vaccaro. As is shown in the film, Vaccaro insisted that rather than spreading their $2 million budget around a host of different basketball players, they should give it all to Jordan in order to secure the. Sonny Vaccaro, who embarked on a quest to sign Michael Jordan, played by Matt Damon. , USA Bio: Team USA Assistant Coach when Jordan Won Gold at 1984 Olympics. The biopic will focus on Sonny Vaccaro, the creator of the Air Jordan sneakers. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Vaccaro and basketball coach George Raveling had been close friends, to the point that Raveling was the best man at Sonny's second wedding. George Raveling is crazy. Air is a 2023 American biographical sports drama film directed by Ben Affleck and written by Alex Convery. Air is set in 1984, when Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) persuaded Jordan to be the face of Nike's basketball shoes. Net worth: $5 million. George Raveling (Marlon Wayans), to put in a good word, Raveling declares that following the “I Have a Dream” speech in. Now Ben has told the story that he met with Michael Jordan in order to receive his blessing, and that led to parts for Howard White (Chris Tucker), George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) and a mandate. George Raveling is a former Olympics basketball coach who worked with Jordan at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, who tries to win over Jordan’s mother, Deloris (Viola Davis), amid the negotiation process. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob Knight). "A lot of people want to take credit for signing Michael Jordan, most obviously Sonny Vaccaro. and George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) who helped. Vaccaro and Jordan. He used to always try to talk to me, 'You gotta go. For the briefest of moments, Sonny Vaccaro appeared in Sunday’s episodes of “The Last Dance,” the 10-part, Michael Jordan-focused documentary running on ESPN. In the same year, Jordan signed a record-breaking $2. While accounts differ over who is most responsible for the partnership, Air focuses largely on Sonny Vaccaro, the Nike executive said to have first conceived the idea. The movie depicts Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro seeking advice from Raveling, Jordan’s trusted Olympic coach, to help sign the NBA rookie to a blockbuster shoe deal in 1984. Vaccaro later visits a 7-Eleven convenience store, posing the same question to a store clerk while purchasing a Sports Illustrated magazine. In doing so, Vaccaro ended up having a falling out with his friend George Raveling, who served as a coach at Southern California, Iowa, and Washington State. Jordan weighed in, as did Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Nike executive George Raveling, former Nike basketball adviser Sonny Vaccaro and former Nike executive Peter Moore. Marlon Wayans will play George Raveling, a trailblazer in college basketball who was the first Black coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Pacific-10. George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. Remember when I mentioned Jordan had three requests for Affleck, the second one was that he create a part for George Raveling, who was Jordan’s Olympic. This website stores data such as cookies to enable essential site functionality, as well as marketing, personalization, and analytics. It was a hard task, considering that Nike was the least favourite contender at that time. ''When you talk power, that means someone who can manipulate,'' says Raveling. Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro. Papa plays Stu Inman, the former Portland Trail Blazers executive who famously selected Sam Bowie over. Matt Damon takes on the role of Sonny Vaccaro, who led Nike’s pursuit in signing Michael Jordan during his rookie years. The trailer for Air was released on February 9. " He added, "Michael’s lying more than Phil [Knight] and Raveling. Jordan prior to meeting her in ‘Air,’ for the sake of elevating the charm. Watch on. Then actually my parents made me go out to (Nike’s headquarters in Beaverton, Ore. The roles of Jordan. Although, in reality, Vaccaro did make multiple phone calls to Mrs. Joining the Good Will Hunting stars are Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White. Raveling, who calls Vaccaro ''Pear'' because of his shape, has been a confidant since the 1960s. It was the summer of 1984 and Vaccaro was waiting at a Tony Roma's restaurant in Santa Monica, California, for his then best friend George Raveling, the head coach of the University of Iowa and an assistant on the U. Wayans' character Raveling worked with the USA basketball team (and therefore Jordan) at the. Other cast members include Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf. ” It was a very different. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. . Prior to this encounter, MJ had no knowledge of Nike. The debut trailer for Air premiered on Wednesday, February 9th, and quickly introduces Sonny Vaccaro as he's brought in by Nike co-founder Phil Knight (Ben Affleck). But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling,” he said. Wayans plays George Raveling,. Most notably Wayans was an assistant coach to Bobby Knight for the United States Olympic team in 1984 which Michael Jordan was a part of and went. The day after the US team won the Los Angeles Olympics, he offered Jordan $2. One particular scene with Vaccaro and US Olympic basketball assistant coach George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) used a baffling amount of pull-focuses, often changing focus between Damon and Wayans. Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro; Ben Affleck as Phil Knight; Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser; Marlon Wayans as George Raveling; Chris Messina as David Falk; Chris Tucker as Howard White; Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan; Matthew Maher as Peter Moore; Julius Tennon as James R.