The AND1 History

AND1 began as a school project partnership in 1993. The company name refers to a common phrase used by basketballers: when a player is fouled while shooting, and still scores a basket, the referees awarded the points for the made basket "and 1" for the made free throw.

The basketball apparel company has made its mark in the industry with trend-setting trash talk and a faceless, raceless icon known as "The Player". AND1´s unifying factor is an abiding passion for basketball and the people who play it, from devotees to professionals.

 
A milestone in AND 1's history came in 1996: AND 1 defies odds by designing and introducing its first shoe- the Stephon Marbury. NBA-star Stephon Marbury became the first spokesman for AND1 and then had his own name brand AND1 shoe.

 
Since '96 AND 1 has created innovative footwear for the ball player - both on and off the court. In 1999 AND 1 introduced its off-court shoe, the ToChillin that sold out of stores across the country.

In late 1998, a videotape containing streetball stunts was delivered to AND1 by Ron Naclerio, coach of the Benjamin Cardozo High school team in Queens, New York. The tape contained poor resolution, low quality camera moves featuring a streetballer by the name of Rafer Alston. At the time, Alston was a student at Fresno State who had entered the 1998 NBA Draft. The videotape would soon be known as the "Skip tape", referring to Alston's streetball nickname "Skip to my Lou". Alston later signed AND1's first endorsement deal.

 
When the traditional marketing campaign appears unsuccessful, a strategy was formed to use the "Skip tape". It was edited and reprinted into 50,000 copies and within eight weeks, distributed across basketball camps, clinics, record labels. The tape would become the first "Mix Tape", and quickly made Alston into a celebrity. When AND1 became a product partner with FootAction, this strategy evolved into a national program. They perform radical spin moves and dunks. They also perform and have their own company. Beginning in the Summer of 1999, a free AND1 Mix Tape was given with any purchase. Approximately 200,000 tapes were distributed in the span of 3 weeks, making this promotion one of the most successful in U.S. retail history. Filmmakers were then sent across the country to capture and find the next streetball legend.

 
With this presence on the highest performing athletes in the world and the attitude of streetball, "AND 1 represents the ballplayer better than any other brand out there" the company claims.

 
Since 98% of all high school athletes will not receive an athletic scholarship, AND 1 donates five percent of its profits to charities with an emphasis on youth and education.