With Derek Jeter’s retirement set for season’s end, the 20-seasons-strong face of the New York Yankees is enjoying a sort of national farewell tour as the Yankees visit American League ballparks in a quietly tight AL East race. Nike has captured the moment with 90 seconds of indomitably brilliant, gorgeously shot, nostalgia-tinged advertising.
Nike’s Jordan Brand subdivision, agency Wieden+Kennedy, and Arts & Sciences director Matt Aselton teamed up to capture the citywide “Re2pect” for the beloved shortstop. One by one, celebrities and fans mimic Jeter’s batter’s box routine, tipping their caps at the longtime Yankees captain.
Did you catch the roll call of famous faces? Paying their respects with tipped caps, in order of appearance, are Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester, Spike Lee, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, the Yankees front office, New York City cops and firefighters, Carmelo Anthony, Billy Crystal, reluctantly respectful Red Sox fans, Tiger Woods, skateboarder Eric Koston, the San Diego Padre, rapper Action Bronson, WNBA All-Star Maya Moore, Phil Jackson and his wife Jeanie Buss, New York Mets players with faces blurred, Jay Z, and an area doorman, plus retired Yankees and ’90s greats Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Tino Martinez, and Andy Pettite; former Yankees manager Joe Torre; and Sir Airness himself, Michael Jordan.
Jeter’s final All-Star game is Tuesday in Minneapolis, and if the universal affection from Major League Baseball is any indication, it should be an emotive one.
Screengrab via Jordan/YouTube