Private Screening of ‘Air,’ a Film About YSU Grad ‘Sonny’ Vaccaro

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown State University Foundation will host a private screening of the new film “Air” at 7 p.m.  Thursday, March 30, at Golden Star Theater in Austintown.

The film, which will be released in theaters April 5, follows the history of shoe salesman John “Sonny” Vaccaro, and how he led Nike to revamp its then-struggling athletic shoe line by building it around rookie basketball player Michael Jordan in the early 1980s. The result was the landmark Air Jordan shoe.

Vaccaro, a native of the Pittsburgh area, is a graduate of Youngstown State University.

Matt Damon stars as Vaccaro in the film, which was directed by Ben Affleck. The cast also includes Viola Davis, Jason Bateman and Affleck.

The YSU Foundation’s invitation-only screening is one of only five such events in the country, according to a press release.

Pictured at top: Matt Damon stars as “Sonny” Vaccaro in a scene from “Air.” (Amazon Studios)

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.