A little over two years ago, the sports industry was taken aback when it was revealed that Nike and the estate of Kobe Bryant would be ending their partnership due to a failure to reach mutually agreeable terms on a new contract. Following this announcement, there was a significant increase in the resale market for Nike Kobe products, with sales soaring. Meanwhile, the release of new Nike Kobe products slowed down until there were no remaining items on the launch calendar.
Almost a year later, there was a positive turn of events as Nike and Vanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant’s wife, announced a new agreement that ensured the continuation of Kobe’s partnership with the company for the long term. This announcement relieved fans and enthusiasts of Kobe’s products, as it signified the renewal of the collaboration between Nike and the Bryant estate, allowing for the creation and release of new Kobe-related merchandise in the future.
Nike CEO John Donahoe talked about the future of Kobe Bryant’s signature line via Zoom call.
“It’s going to be an exciting summer as we set the stage to relaunch the Kobe brand in advance of Kobe Day on 8.24,” said Donahoe.