Man behind the marketing of "Air Jordans" speaks to men's club about advocating for athletes' rights to profits

It’s topping charts! The movie "Air" was #1 on Amazon Prime. The real man behind "Air Jordans" spoke to a group in Cary.

Sonny Vaccaro told them how he changed sports marketing forever. In the film, Matt Damon, acting as Sonny Vaccaro, set out to help Nike boost sagging sales.

In the film, taking place in 1984, Vaccaro told his Nike boss, "I need the greatest basketball shoe that’s every been made." His boss (acted by Ben Affleck) said, ‘Who’s the player?" Vaccaro answered, "Michael Jordan."

Vaccaro’s "shoe" made popular by Jordan, became the "must-have" for millions of basketball fans. Later, It also helped expose universities’ power over college athletes.

"The NCAA lied to their athletes that they owned them. They owned their name, they owned their image, they own their likeness," said Vaccaro.

The 84 year old Vaccaro spoke through a video-link to the men’s club at "Templeton of Cary", a senior living community.

He says the NCAA restricted member institutions from offering education related compensation and benefits for student athletes. "That had nothing to do with their scholarship. That had nothing to do with anything other than their greed," said Vaccaro.

Two years ago, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the athletes. "The money belongs to the person wearing the shoe," said Matt Damon, as Vaccaro.

Daman’s character then attempted to play down Deloris Jordan’s expectations. "But the shoe is just a shoe," said Vaccaro. Deloris Jordan quickly added, "Until my son steps into it."

Vaccaro remembers Deloris Jordan protecting her son’s best interests. "Deloris, she was more than the mother. She was the agent too." He learned that upon their first meeting at the family’s Wilmington home.

Vaccaro showed up by surprise. In the film, Mrs. Jordan asked him, "Do you typically make it a habit of showing up at people’s front doors unannounced? Vaccaro, played by Daman, answered, "I don’t like to take no for an answer."

Vaccaro has also been an outspoken critic of universities allowing athletes to get degrees but not receiving a true college education.