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Blue Ribbon Sports founded
Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman found Blue Ribbon Sports. -
Blue Ribbon Sports becomes Nike
Blue Ribbon Sports becomes Nike Inc. -
waffle trainers sole pattern
Bowerman comes up with iconic sole pattern for Waffle Trainers after putting rubber into a waffle iron -
First endorsement deal
Romanian tennis player Ilie Nastase becomes the first athlete to sign an endorsement with Nike. -
Air Technology
Nike introduces patented "Air" technology with new Tailwind shoe. -
Completes IPO
Nike completes IPO with a price of 18 cents a share. -
Signs Michael Jordan
Nike signs Michael Jordan, launching Air Jordan series. -
First ad to use The Beatles music
Nike drops ad for new Air Max shoes set to The Beatles' "Revolution," making it the first ad to use the band's music. -
Just Do It
First "Just Do It" campaign launches with ad featuring 80-year-old running icon Walter Stack running across the Golden Gate Bridge. -
Bo Knows
"Bo Knows" ad campaign drops featuring baseball and football star Bo Jackson. -
Niketown store opens
the first Niketown store opens in Portland, Oregon. -
Factory codes of conduct
Activist Jeff Ballinger publishes report exposing low wages and poor working conditions among Indonesian Nike factories. Nike responds by instating its first factory codes of conduct. -
Signed Tiger Woods
Nike signs Tiger Woods. -
Protesting
In the face of widespread protest, Nike raises the minimum age of its workers, increases monitoring, and adopts U.S. OSHA clean-air standards in overseas factories. -
Co-founder found dead
Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman dies at 88. -
Nike acquires Hurley
Nike acquires surf-apparel company Hurley for $120 million -
Nike signs Kobe Bryant
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Nike signs LeBron James
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Nike acquires Converse
Nike acquires Converse for $309 million. -
Nike becomes official supplier for NFL apparel
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Nike becomes official supplier for NBA apparel
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Ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick
Nike unveils ad campaign featuring athlete and political activist Colin Kaepernick, garnering a mix of public approval and backlash. -
Today
