014. How to Kill Nike

jaydrainjr.substack.com

Substack essay examining how open-source practices, abundance in sports, and market shifts threaten Nike's dominance.

014. How to Kill Nike

When LeBron James entered the NBA in 2003 at 18 years old, social media barely existed, sports content lived on cable TV, sports betting was mostly illegal outside Nevada, and the most valuable sports franchise, Manchester United, was worth $970 million.Two decades later, LeBron is somehow still dominating the NBA at 40, and sports has transcended its traditional boundaries. That same Manchester United is now valued at $6.55 billion, while the Dallas Cowboys top the charts at $9 billion. The NFL secured $110 billion for broadcast rights, sports betting generates over $10 billion annually, and sports media spans countless platforms and networks. What we're witnessing isn't merely growth – it's a fundamental reimagining of sports' role in our world. Sports is undeniably in its era of abundance.Today’s professional athletes are multi-hyphenates – they’re NBA players AND runway models, technologists, podcast hosts, rappers, actors / actresses, restaurateurs, and more. Elite college athletes become millionaires before playing their first game, and even team managers earn NIL contracts. Amateur adult athletics is growing exponentially too - good luck getting a bib for the New York City Marathon, where its 3% acceptance rate this year rivals Stanford’s.The most popular leagues are only getting bigger. The NFL hit $20 billion in revenue in its 2023-2024 season, the NBA is projecting $15 billion for next season on the back of its $76B media deal, and English Premier League clubs collectively earned £6.5 billion in 23-24. Sports betting, now legal in 34 US states is already a $14 billion industry, and live sports streaming hours grew 30% around the world from 2022 to 2024.Sports have gone truly global, with international viewership surging (40% of IPL viewers are outside India) and the NFL, NBA, and MLB hosting games in Abu Dhabi, Paris, Tokyo, and Berlin. Not to mention, the last 6 NBA MVPs have been foreign-born players from Greece, Serbia, and Cameroon (and 2025’s front-ru

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