Nike, Inc., headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's largest supplier of athletic footwear and apparel. The company is also a significant manufacturer of sports equipment. Nike's revenue exceeded US$46 billion in fiscal year 2022, highlighting its dominant position in the global athletic market.
In 1960, Otis Davis won Olympic gold. According to Davis, Bill Bowerman made the first pair of Nike shoes for him. There was no support and they were too tight. But I saw Bowerman made them from the waffle iron, and they were mine
On January 25, 1964, Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight founded "Blue Ribbon Sports", which would later become Nike, Inc.
In 1966, Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS) opened its first retail store at 3107 Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica, California.
In 1967, due to increasing sales, Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS) expanded retail and distribution operations on the East Coast, in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
On May 30, 1971, Blue Ribbon Sports officially became Nike, Inc., named after the Greek goddess of victory, Nike.
On June 18, 1971, the Swoosh logo, designed by Carolyn Davidson, was first used by Nike.
In 1971, Bill Bowerman experimented with his wife's waffle iron to create a new sole for track shoes that would be lightweight and increase the runner's speed.
In 1972, Bill Bowerman designed the Nike "Moon Shoes" for runners participating in the Olympics trials.
In 1976, Nike hired John Brown and Partners, based in Seattle, as its first advertising agency.
In 1979, Nike manufactured its first uniforms for a professional sports team, the Portland Timbers of the North American Soccer League.
By 1980, Nike had attained a 50% market share in the US athletic shoe market, and the company went public in December of that year.
In 1981, Minor Threat released their self-titled album, whose cover art was later appropriated by Nike in 2005.
In 1982, Nike aired its first three national television ads during the New York Marathon broadcast, created by Wieden+Kennedy (W+K).
In 1984, Michael Jordan supposedly wore a pair of Converse shoes at the basketball final of the Olympics that year.
In 1984, Nike signed basketball player Michael Jordan, which significantly boosted the company's publicity and sales.
In 1987, Nike Air Max, a line of shoes, was first released by Nike, Inc.
In 1987, Nike was criticized for using the Beatles' song "Revolution" in a commercial without the approval of Apple Records, the Beatles' recording company.
In March 1988, Nike stopped airing ads featuring "Revolution".
On July 1, 1988, Nike's first "Just Do It" advertisement, featuring Walt Stack, debuted. The slogan was coined by Dan Wieden of Wieden+Kennedy.
In 1988, Nike's first acquisition was the upscale footwear company Cole Haan.
Beginning in 1990, numerous protests occurred in major cities such as Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and Boston to publicly denounce Nike's use of child labor and sweatshops.
In 1990, Nike moved into its eight-building World Headquarters campus in Beaverton, Oregon, and the first Niketown retail store opened in downtown Portland in November.
In 1990, Nike opened its first child care facility, named after Joe Paterno.
From 1992, sulfur hexafluoride, a potent greenhouse gas, was used in the cushion bags of all "Air"-branded shoes.
In 1992, the Air Huarache product line debuted.
In 1993, Nike launched the Reuse-A-Shoe program, its longest-running program that benefits the environment and community by collecting and recycling old athletic shoes to create sports surfaces.
In 1994, Nike was named Advertiser of the Year at the Cannes Advertising Festival, the first company to receive the honor twice.
In 1997, 277 tons of sulfur hexafluoride was used in Nike's "Air"-branded shoes.
On January 1, 2000, Nike won an Emmy Award for "The Morning After," a commercial satirizing the Y2K problem.
Since the 2000–01 season, Nike has been the official ball supplier for the Premier League.
In 2001, a BBC documentary revealed instances of child labor and poor working conditions in a Cambodian factory used by Nike, focusing on six girls working seven days a week, often 16 hours a day.
In 2002, Nike bought surf apparel company Hurley International from founder Bob Hurley.
In 2002, Nike earned an Emmy Award for the "Move" commercial, which featured famous and everyday athletes in athletic pursuits.
In 2003, Nike paid US$309 million to acquire sneaker company Converse.
In 2003, Nike was named Advertiser of the Year at the Cannes Advertising Festival, the first company to receive the honor twice.
In 2004, Nike acquired Starter.
In 2004, Nike launched the SPARQ Training Program/Division.
In June 2005, Nike faced criticism from Ian MacKaye for appropriating imagery from Minor Threat's 1981 album cover in a flyer promoting Nike Skateboarding's East Coast demo tour.
From 2005 to 2020, Nike was the official kit sponsor for the Indian cricket team.
In 2005, Oregon Senate Bill 887 was passed, barring Beaverton from forcibly annexing the land occupied by Nike and Columbia Sportswear for 35 years.
Adidas provided the uniforms for the NBA from 2006 until Nike took over in 2017.
In 2006, the Air Zoom Vomero running shoe, introduced and featured a combination of innovations including a full-length air cushioned sole, an external heel counter, a crashpad in the heel for shock absorption, and Fit Frame technology for a stable fit.
Until 2006, sulfur hexafluoride, a potent greenhouse gas, was used in the cushion bags of all "Air"-branded shoes.
In 2007, Clean Air-Cool Planet ranked Nike among the top three companies in a survey of climate-friendly companies.
In 2007, Nike acquired soccer uniform maker Umbro.
In 2007, Nike sold Starter as part of its refocus on its business lines.
In February 2008, Nike produced 5,000 pairs of the Trash Talk Shoe, a performance basketball shoe constructed from factory waste, worn by Steve Nash in a commercial for Earth Day 2008.
In 2008, Nike introduced the Air Jordan XX3, a high-performance basketball shoe designed with the environment in mind.
In 2008, Nike sold Bauer Hockey as part of its refocus on its business lines.
In 2008, The Nike Vaporfly controversy was compared to the 2008 LAZR swimsuit controversy.
In 2008, a UNC project found workers exposed to toxic chemicals in footwear factories in Thailand, with dermal exposure being a significant issue.
In 2010, Nike's royalties briefly mentioned amounted to $3.86 billion.
As of July 2011, Nike stated that two-thirds of its factories producing Converse products still did not meet the company's standards for worker treatment.
In July 2011, Greenpeace published a report on water pollution in the Yangtze River linked to a textile factory of Nike supplier Youngor Group.
In 2011, Kaepernick and Nike initially agreed to a contract.
In 2011, Nike's royalties briefly mentioned amounted to $3.86 billion.
After the Freeh Report was released on July 12, 2012, Nike CEO Mark Parker announced that Joe Paterno's name would be immediately removed from the child development center.
In 2012, Nike entered into a commercial partnership with the Asian Football Confederation.
In 2012, Nike sold Umbro as part of its refocus on its business lines.
In 2012, Nike was listed as a partner of the (PRODUCT) campaign, focused on preventing HIV transmission from mother to child.
In 2012, Nike's royalties briefly mentioned amounted to $3.86 billion.
In January 2013, Nike signed Rory McIlroy to a 10-year sponsorship deal worth $250 million.
On February 21, 2013, Nike suspended its contract with Oscar Pistorius after he was charged with premeditated murder.
On December 19, 2013, Nike's quarterly profit rose due to a 13 percent increase in global orders for merchandise since April of that year. Future orders of shoes or clothes for delivery between December and April, rose to $10.4 billion. Nike shares (NKE) rose 0.6 percent to $78.75 in extended trading.
In 2013, Nike sold Cole Haan as part of its refocus on its business lines.
In 2013, Nike was made a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, replacing Alcoa.
In April 2014, one of the biggest strikes in mainland China took place at the Yue Yuen Industrial Holdings Dongguan shoe factory, which produces for Nike, because they were underpaying an employee by 250 yuan (40.82 US Dollars) per month.
In August 2014, Nike announced it would not renew its kit supply deal with Manchester United after the 2014–15 season due to rising costs.
In 2014, the tax break was to expire, so another reorganization transferred the intellectual property from the Bermudan company to a Dutch commanditaire vennootschap or limited partnership, Nike Innovate CV.
In June 2015, Nike signed an 8-year deal with the NBA to become the official uniform supplier for the league, beginning with the 2017–18 season, replacing Adidas.
In November 2015, Nike announced it would initiate a $12 billion share buyback, as well as a two-for-one stock split, with shares to begin trading at the decreased price on December 24.
2015 is the base year for Nike's plan to reduce emissions 65% by 2030.
From 2015 to 2023, emissions from Nike's corporate jets increased by 20%.
In 2015, Nike consolidated its position in basketball when it was announced that the company would sign an 8-year deal with the NBA, taking over from Adidas.
In 2015, Nike introduced the Nike Mag, a self-lacing shoe replicating those in Back to the Future Part II. It had a preliminary limited release available only by auction, with proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
Since the start of the 2015–16 season, Adidas has manufactured Manchester United's kit as part of a world-record 10-year deal.
On June 30, 2016, Phil Knight officially stepped down from all duties with Nike.
In July 2016, Greenpeace released a follow-up report stating that Nike had not taken enough responsibility for eliminating hazardous chemicals, especially perfluorinated compounds.
In 2016, Nike began using water-free dyeing materials in its Southeast Asian factories to reduce water consumption.
In 2016, Nike exited the golf equipment business due to a decline in sales.
In 2016, Nike repeated the limited release of the Nike Mag, a self-lacing shoe replicating those in Back to the Future Part II. It was available only by auction, with proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
In 2016, a study reflected that Nike was the 3rd most relevant brand for Gen-Z in China.
In March 2017, Nike launched a plus-size clothing line featuring sizes 1X through 3X on over 200 products.
On November 5, 2017, the Paradise Papers revealed that Nike is among the corporations that used offshore companies to avoid taxes.
According to a 2017 study, Nike contributed 3,002,529 metric tons of carbon dioxide combined from various sectors within the company.
Around 2017, criticisms emerged regarding technology in the Nike Vaporfly running shoes, leading to concerns about unfair advantages and technology doping.
In 2017, Nike became the official uniform supplier for the NBA.
In 2017, a pair of signed Converse shoes said to have been worn by Michael Jordan during the 1984 basketball final of the Olympics sold for $190,373 in California, setting the previous record for sneakers.
In 2017, it was estimated that 28,000,000 shoes were collected since its start in 1993 for Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program.
In 2017, the Nike Vaporfly first came out and their popularity, along with its performance, prompted a new series of running shoes.
In 2017, the Nike brand was valued at $29.6 billion.
Starting with the 2017/18 season, all NBA franchise team members had to wear jerseys and shorts with the Swoosh logo.
On March 15, 2018, Nike CEO Mark Parker announced that Trevor Edwards, a top Nike executive, was relinquishing his position as Nike's brand president and would retire in August.
In March 2018, Nike acquired Zodiac, a consumer data analytics company.
In June 2018, Nike announced it would initiate a $15 billion share buyback over four years, to begin in 2019 upon completion of the previous buyback program.
In September 2018, Nike announced it had signed Colin Kaepernick to a long-term advertising campaign, leading to both praise and backlash, with some people burning Nike products in protest.
In October 2018, Nike's shares traded at over $72 per share, and its market capitalization was valued at over US$114.5 billion.
Around 2018, criticisms emerged regarding technology in the Nike Vaporfly running shoes, leading to concerns about unfair advantages and technology doping.
In 2018, Nike ranked 89th in the Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue.
In 2018, Nike spent $11.5 billion, nearly a third of its sales, on marketing and endorsement contracts.
In July 2019, Nike released a shoe featuring a Betsy Ross flag called the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July trainers, but withdrew the model after Colin Kaepernick voiced concerns about the flag's association with slavery.
On July 23, 2019, a pair of Nike Inc. running shoes, the "Moon Shoes", sold for $437,500 at a Sotheby's auction. The shoes were designed by Bill Bowerman for the 1972 Olympics trials.
In August 2019, Nike acquired Celect, a Boston-based predictive analytics company.
In October 2019, John Donahoe was announced as the next CEO of Nike.
In November 2019, Nike stopped selling directly through Amazon, focusing more on direct relationships with customers.
In 2019, Nike launched the "Move to Zero" program to achieve zero waste and zero carbon in its supply chain and product lifecycle, with collections containing at least 60% organic and recycled materials.
In 2019, Nike's $15 billion share buyback program was set to begin, following the completion of the previous buyback program.
In 2019, US Vice President Mike Pence criticized Nike for siding with the Chinese Communist Party and allegedly removing Houston Rockets merchandise from its stores in China after a tweet supporting the 2019 Hong Kong protests.
On January 13, 2020, John Donahoe succeeded Mark Parker as the CEO of Nike.
On January 31, 2020, World Athletics issued new guidelines concerning shoes for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, following criticisms of Nike Vaporfly running shoes and concerns about technology doping.
In February 2020, Nike reported that roughly 75% of Nike stores in Greater China had closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
In March 2020, Nike reported a 5% drop in Chinese sales associated with stores' closure due to COVID-19. However, the company's online sales grew by 36% during Q1 of 2020 and the sales of personal training apps grew by 80% in China.
Starting April 30, 2020, a new guideline was established where any shoe must have been available for purchase by any athlete on the open retail market for four months before it can be used in competition.
Nike reported total CO2e emissions for the twelve months ending June 30, 2020, at 317 Kt, a year-over-year increase, and announced plans to reduce emissions by 65% by 2030 from a 2015 base year.
As of 2020, Nike owns only one subsidiary: Converse Inc.
Beginning with the 2020–21 season, the Jumpman logo replaced the Nike swoosh on the NBA's alternate "Statement" uniforms.
From 2005 to 2020, Nike was the official kit sponsor for the Indian cricket team.
In 2020 Nike and other brands agreed to stop discharging hazardous chemicals by 2020.
In 2020, the Nike brand alone was valued in excess of $32 billion, making it the most valuable brand among sports businesses.
In February 2021, Nike acquired Datalogue, a New York-based company focused on digital sales and machine learning technology.
In December 2021, Nike purchased RTFKT Studios, a virtual shoe company that makes NFTs.
In December 2021, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights filed a criminal complaint in a Dutch court against Nike and other brands, alleging they benefited from forced Uyghur labor in Xinjiang.
In 2021, Nike announced a collaboration with Newlight Technologies to explore eco-friendly materials for sneakers, specifically mentioning Newlight's AirCarbon bioplastic as a replacement for leather and plastic.
In April 2022, a design by Takashi Murakami from the Dunk Genesis Cryptokicks collection (over 20,000 NFTs) was sold for $134,000.
In 2022, Nike, Inc. had a revenue in excess of US$46 billion.
In January 2023, a study concluded that Nike was the most popular sportswear brand in the US.
In July 2023, a study found that Americans consider Nike as one of the most inclusive brands.
In July 2023, the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise opened an investigation into Nike to probe allegations of forced Uyghur labor in its supply chain.
From 2015 to 2023, emissions from Nike's corporate jets increased by 20%.
In 2023, Nike became the presenting sponsor of Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, encouraging youth in underserved communities to participate in baseball and softball.
In 2023, Nike pledged to eliminate the use of kangaroo leather in favor of a synthetic alternative, in response to animal activists' concerns about unethical killing of kangaroos.
In 2023, Nike told ESPN that it would cease using kangaroo skins in its products by the end of that year and debut "a new Nike-only, proprietary synthetic upper, [with] a new material that is a better performance solution and replaces the use of kangaroo leather."
In 2023, following criticism from animal rights groups, Nike declared its intent to phase out the use of wool sourced from lambs subjected to mulesing.
Roth MKM's 2023 Millennial survey reported in March that millennials with health and wellness concerns ranked brands like Nike as their preferred brands for purchases in the aftermath of the pandemic.
In October 2024, Nike announced a 12-year global extension of its partnership with the NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League through 2037.
As of 2024, Nike employed 83,700 people worldwide and ranked 239th in the Forbes Global 2000 companies.
In early 2024, institutional investors held around 68% of all shares in Nike.
In June 2025, Nike warned that President Trump’s new tariffs on key trading partners could add around $1 billion to its costs this year, causing the company to shift some production out of China to reduce its exposure.
In January 2026, Nike laid off 775 employees primarily from distribution centres in Tennessee and Mississippi, as it looks to automate processes and boost profits.
Nike plans to reduce emissions 65% by 2030 from a 2015 base year.
Nike retains exclusive rights to design and manufacture uniforms for the NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League through 2037.
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