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Reebok History

By JaysFan26

  • JW Foster and Sons Created

    JW Foster and Sons was known for making shoes with metal spikes. They were worn by athletes in the 1924 Summer Olympics.
  • Period: to

    Reebok

  • JW Foster and Sons Shoes Worn in Summer Olympics

  • Brand Renamed To Reebok

    Reebok got it's name from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African gazelle.

  • Paul Fireman Negotiates Liscensing and Distribution Deal For USA

    Paul Fireman acquired the rights to liscence and distribute Reebok in the USA at the Chicago International sneaker trade show in 1979

  • Fireman Introduces Three New Shoes

    Fireman introduced three new Reebok shoes in the same year that he aquired liscensing and distribution for the company in the USA. They were priced at $60 per pair, making them the highest priced sneaker in the market at the time.

  • 1.5 Million Dollars in Sales

  • First Womens Athletic Shoe Created

    Reebok made the first athletic shoe for women in 1982, making their sales rise drastically.

  • Fireman Takes Over

    Paul Fireman's newly formed Reebok USA company bought out the full rights to Reebok in 1984 and became Reebok International.

  • The Pump Introduced

    Reebok Introduced shoes that had air bladders in the tongues in 1989. The air bladder could be inflated or deflated to snugly fit a person's ankle.

  • Step Reebok Introduced

    Step Reebok was a fitness program using a step.

  • Dee Brown Wears Reebok Pumps in Slam Dunk Contest

    In the 1991 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Dee Brown was shown inflating his Reebok Pumps before his contest winning dunk, and then deflating them afterwards. This gave prime product product placement for Reebok and increased the popularity of the Pumps in the early 1990's.

  • Reebok Starts to Work With Allen Iverson

    Reebok made shoes called "The Answer" (named after Iverson's nickname, and Iverson endorsed the brand. This was the first big endorsement for Reebok.

  • Reebok Core Introduced

    A new exercise program was created to branch into fitness again.

  • Reebok and the NFL

    Reebok gains a exclusive partnership with the NFL which allows them to produce NFL items, including uniforms.

  • Allen Iverson Signs Exclusive Deal With Reebok

  • Reebok and the NBA

    A year after the NFL deal, Reebok gained the rights to create NBA licensed product and later became the uniform supplier for the league in the 2004-2005 season.

  • Indy Racing League Partership

    This partnership made Reebok an official outfitter for the Indy Racing League, and Reebok also gained brand exposure by getting their logo on cars.

  • Rbk Launched

    Aimed at a younger consumer base (teens and young adults), Rbk is street-inspired clothing.

  • Reebok Acquires CCM

    This purchase gave Reebok connections to the NHL, because CCM was an official sponsor of the NHL.

  • Reebok Purchased by Adidas for 3.8 Billion Dollars

    This purchase united made Adidas the Adidas group, and now Reebok is managed by Adidas.