The relationship of almost two decades between Vanessa Bryant, widow of Kobe Bryant and the company that controls the properties and assets of the former Lakers player, has come to an end with Nike in April 2021.
The brand is the most used by NBA players. Nike, whose role was key in the rise of the athlete as an international icon, stated that "Kobe Bryant was an important part of the company's deep connection with its consumers. He demanded of us and made everyone around him better. Although our contractual relationship has ended, he remains a deeply loved member of the Nike family."
The low availability of Bryant's products, especially young children, and even more so since the player's retirement and especially after his death in January 2020, kept us all "frustrated" at not being able to get them in retail. The New York Times explains that the Kobe shoes worn by NBA players are often limited editions that the average consumer can't afford to buy, a strategy Vanessa Bryant disagreed with.
"My hope will always be to allow Kobe fans to have and wear his merchandise," Vanessa Bryant said. “I will keep fighting for it. Kobe products sell out in seconds. That says it all .”
In parallel, the Bryant crew that owns the rights to the famous " Mamba " logo (the nickname by which the player was known), could already be negotiating with other brands for a new partnership, or even opt to create his own signature, just as the player himself had already been devising before his death.
According to intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben, more than 13 trademark proposals have been filed in Kobe Bryant's name since May 2020.
Everything indicates that Vanessa (Bryant) is building a portfolio of intellectual property for the launch of a new brand," Gerben told CNBC.
Some of the more recent trademark proposals have appeared under the terms "Play Gigi's Way", "Mamba and Mambacita", "Baby Mambas", and "Mamba League". Gianna, or "Gigi," was the name of Bryant's daughter who died along with her father in the tragic helicopter crash. Her nickname was Mambacita.
The partnership between Nike and Bryant in 2003 brought some of the most popular shoes on the market, like the Zoom Huarache 2K4 and 2K5, as well as the Hyperdunk and the 11 models in the Nike Kobe series. The last renewal of the contract occurred after his withdrawal in 2016, for five more years.
According to the Baller Shoes DB website, during the last NBA season, a total of 103 players, around 20% of the League, wore Kobe Bryant shoe models. More than LeBron James. More, even, than Michael Jordan.
Now, Vanessa Bryant wants that love for her husband's products on the courts to find the same echo on the streets.