| Michael Jordan's return to the NBA has been wholeheartedly welcomed by sports fans everywhere, but none more so than the fans that work at Nike. Nike who has sponsored Jordan since his NBA career began back in 1984 are ecstatic about his return to the big time and are already seeing their sales figures boom.
This excitement is evident throughout the sportswear giants operations, but nowhere more so than on the factory floor itself. Jordan fever has swept Nike factories throughout South East Asia and Central America, where the one thing on everyone's mind is has Jordan still got it? "Who is Michael Jordan? What is this Basketball that you speak of?" said one emphatic employee. "Do you think I can make the fence before the guards get me? I know Lee didn't make it, but I'm a faster runner than he was now," added another. Others, like Tan Swee Kim were just excited about seeing him perform again on the international stage, "Please don't talk to me. I'll get fired if you keep talking to me." This excitement was shared elsewhere on the factory floor. "Have you seen my Father? He told me that I was going to the city to go to school and that he would meet me here in the summer, but that was last year, and this is nothing like the school we had back in our village." Only time will tell whether Jordan's come back will live up to sports fans expectations, but as far as 16 year old Nike seamstress Goh Shiew Dee is concerned Michael Jordan has already won the battle for their hearts, "Please shoot me, I cannot stand any more of this. Do you have any poison? I would rather die than work another 18 hour shift like yesterday."  Jordan basketball legend and ring enthusiast |
| Nike workers excited about Jordan's return |
Thursday, 01 November 2001 12:00
