SAN FRANCISCO—Back in the 1980s, when Michael Jordan was a rookie on the Chicago Bulls, the NBA legend purposely broke the rules: He took to the court wearing a black and red Nike sneaker—a violation of the league's dress code, which dictated that shoes had to be 51% white and in accordance with what the rest of the team was wearing. As legend has it, Nike footed the $5,000-per-game fine.
The shoes would, of course, launch the iconic Air Jordan brand. In 1986, Jordan showcased his AJ1s on Late Night with David Letterman—one of the first major moments of sneaker culture as we know it.
Nearly 40 years later, experiential agency Team Epiphany produced the launch event for an AJ1 collaboration between Nike's Jordan Brand and streetwear brand Union Los Angeles. Called Late Night with Union, the unique experience—taking place the Saturday of NBA All-Star Weekend—converted Saint Joseph’s Arts Society venue in San Francisco into a functional Late Night-inspired talk show set, concert venue, party space, and consumer store. 
Guests could get their own Union AJ1s through an on-site Sneaker Shop. (The shop later opened to the public for a consumer event.)Photo: Courtesy of Team Epiphany
“I’m old enough to remember when MJ went on Letterman,” said Union owner Chris Gibbs. “We were like, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun to recreate that moment?’ As we leaned into the idea, we realized it was a great vehicle for storytelling—and we just ran with it.”
The event tied into Jordan Brand’s larger “40 Years of Greatness” campaign. “We saw the open lane to create a true live taping of a late-night show—something never seen before for a sneaker release,” noted Coltrane Curtis, Team Epiphany's founder and managing partner, whose team produced, directed, and co-wrote the show. "With the caliber of stars in attendance for All-Star Weekend and the event falling after the All-Star Saturday activities, we knew we could combine the perfect room and concept for a night everybody would remember.”
The event hosted 250 athletes, celebrities, and influencers for the live taping of Late Night with Union, which was hosted by popular journalist Speedy Morman and featured guest interviews with former WNBA star Maya Moore, current Philadelphia 76ers player Jared McCain, and rappers Jackson Wang and LaRussell. 
"Each interview guest brought their own unique vibe to their conversations with Speedy, starting with how they entered," said Curtis. "Maya Moore set the tone as a legend, Jackson Wang’s energy was all over the stage, while LaRussell’s Bay Area pride shined as a highlight of how one format brings together many forms of individuality."Photo: Courtesy of Team Epiphany
“We sought to create a real '80s/'90s-themed late-night show, inspired by the timelessness of those hosted by David Letterman and Arsenio Hall,” explained Curtis. “We wanted a host that could deliver on this energy yet surprise the larger crowd with the dedication to the format, with no better choice than the culture’s favorite host: Speedy Morman.”
The show was built to include all the typical Late Night elements, including an opening monologue, a house band (punk group Ho99o9), comedic skits filmed by Union, sit-down interviews, and a closing performance from rapper Quavo. “The script flowed through these, with nuances catered to Speedy’s approachable style and jokes playing off Jordan, All-Star Weekend, and tropes of sneaker culture,” explained Curtis. 
The event featured a performance from rapper Quavo, while punk band Ho99o9 served as house band during the show. “It brought a very unique vibe to the space,” said Curtis.Photo: Courtesy of Team Epiphany
Team Epiphany continued the nods to old-school talk shows throughout the space. “The logo of Late Night with Union itself was directly inspired by the style of these late-night talk shows, with us building around that visual into a vintage late-night stage, the city backdrop that you see in the aforementioned shows from that era, '90s-inspired graphics spread throughout the sneaker shop stations, and the overall design spread across the space,” explained Curtis. “The desk used onstage was also converted into an automated photo moment at the end, which was captured in a vintage grain that made every guest feel like they were a part of that world.”
The vintage vibe even extended to the filming style, where the team used older cameras to give the video recording an authentic, old-school touch. “There was a lot of coordination between our technical teams to make sure this execution worked,” said Curtis, adding: “Because of the in-house audience, we also wanted the show to run with no interruption or retakes. This was accomplished because of our amazing host, Speedy Morman, and the rehearsal and preparation on his part to make sure the show ran all the way through without stopping.” 
The event drew 250 All-Star Weekend VIPs to Saint Joseph’s Arts Society in San Francisco.Photo: Courtesy of Team Epiphany
Custom cocktails featured additional nods to 1980s and 1990s talk shows.Photo: Courtesy of Team Epiphany
After the taping, attendees were able to secure the Union AJ1s through an on-site Sneaker Shop, take pictures on the stage, and enjoy custom cocktails. “All-Star Weekend is one of the biggest sports and cultural moments of the year, bringing together some of the world’s biggest athletes, entertainers, influencers, and sports enthusiasts. To gather a lot of them in one room to celebrate the launch of this collaboration in a fun and unique way made it a huge success,” said Curtis.
Gibbs agreed. “We kind of run the same ideas over and over for these launches: party, dinner, performance, etc. I am proud of the creative spin, [and that] Jordan supported us in being different and disruptive.” 
"Credit goes to Chris Gibbs and Union for designing yet another iconic sneaker collaboration with Jordan Brand," said Curtis. "The incredible design of the shoe had to be mirrored with a one-of-a-kind experience—and that would not have been possible without collaboration between Jordan Brand, Union, and the entire technical and production crew that ran this show behind the scenes that created a magical event."Photo: Courtesy of Team Epiphany
"It was great to see that success was carried over to social media so that additional fans and enthusiasts could enjoy elements of the experience from afar—thus further celebrating the sneaker," added Curtis.Photo: Courtesy of Team Epiphany
