Nike History “We wanted Nike to be the world's best sports and fitness company. Once you say that, you have a focus. You don't end up making wing tips or sponsoring the next Rolling Stones world tour.” -Phil Knight ("Phil Knight Quotes") Nike, a popular athletic shoe company, began small and slowly grew. The progression of shoes has definitely changed over the years and is still proceeding to do so. Nike is a well established shoe company; and the origin and advancement of their shoes brought forth this dynasty. Nike is the winged, Greek goddess of victory. As the Greeks would go into battle they said, “When we go to battle and win, we say it is Nike” ("Nike History and Timeline"). This name became the most acknowledged brand name in today’s
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There he visited a sports goods store with the shoe brand “Tiger,” manufactured by Onitsuka. He then went to the town of Kobe to meet with the manufacturers of Tiger shoes, and agreed on letting him sell their shoes at a retail price. When they asked him for the name of his business, he quickly thought of the name, “Blue Ribbon Sports,” (Hays, 5). And the rest was up to him to fill out his job for the operation. Knight’s operation was based on small-time deals, but he wanted to do more than selling shoes at local track meets. He wanted someone to endorse his business. He found Jeffrey Owen Johnson, a middle distance runner, who ended his career after he tore a tendon in his leg (Hays, 7). Blue Ribbon Sports grew popular in 1965 when Knight’s operation was endorsed by him and Johnson helped get profit of $3,200, and $20,000 worth of shoes (Hays, 7). He proceeds to help promote Blue Ribbon …show more content…
Early on he endorsed a man named Steve Prefontaine, who was the first spokesman for Knight and Bowerman’s shoes. In 1975, Nike sponsored several of the top NBA players, including Elvin Hayes, Spencer Haywood, and Rudy Tomjanovich (Hays, 23). Each player received $2,000 and a small share of the company’s proceeds from profits on Nike’s basketball shoes (Hays, 23). This was the beginning of Nike’s basketball endorsements, now they sponsor big-time names including: Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Kevin Durant. Nike also sponsored John McEnroe for $25,000 (Hays, 23). He was the top tennis money-maker at the time and also received the nickname “Super Brat.” He argued with umpires and officials and threw tantrums on the court. But whether people liked his acts or hated them, they always wanted to see him play tennis which helped promote Nike. In 1984, Nike signed Michael Jordan, a basketball player from the Chicago Bulls who is now recognized as the best basketball player of all time (Hays, 26). Michael then led on to make his own with the help of Nike, otherly known as Jordan. Jordan apparel is widely worn by many people today and shoes of Jordan have become really collectable over the years due to the popularity when Michael
There he visited a sports goods store with the shoe brand “Tiger,” manufactured by Onitsuka. He then went to the town of Kobe to meet with the manufacturers of Tiger shoes, and agreed on letting him sell their shoes at a retail price. When they asked him for the name of his business, he quickly thought of the name, “Blue Ribbon Sports,” (Hays, 5). And the rest was up to him to fill out his job for the operation. Knight’s operation was based on small-time deals, but he wanted to do more than selling shoes at local track meets. He wanted someone to endorse his business. He found Jeffrey Owen Johnson, a middle distance runner, who ended his career after he tore a tendon in his leg (Hays, 7). Blue Ribbon Sports grew popular in 1965 when Knight’s operation was endorsed by him and Johnson helped get profit of $3,200, and $20,000 worth of shoes (Hays, 7). He proceeds to help promote Blue Ribbon …show more content…
Early on he endorsed a man named Steve Prefontaine, who was the first spokesman for Knight and Bowerman’s shoes. In 1975, Nike sponsored several of the top NBA players, including Elvin Hayes, Spencer Haywood, and Rudy Tomjanovich (Hays, 23). Each player received $2,000 and a small share of the company’s proceeds from profits on Nike’s basketball shoes (Hays, 23). This was the beginning of Nike’s basketball endorsements, now they sponsor big-time names including: Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Kevin Durant. Nike also sponsored John McEnroe for $25,000 (Hays, 23). He was the top tennis money-maker at the time and also received the nickname “Super Brat.” He argued with umpires and officials and threw tantrums on the court. But whether people liked his acts or hated them, they always wanted to see him play tennis which helped promote Nike. In 1984, Nike signed Michael Jordan, a basketball player from the Chicago Bulls who is now recognized as the best basketball player of all time (Hays, 26). Michael then led on to make his own with the help of Nike, otherly known as Jordan. Jordan apparel is widely worn by many people today and shoes of Jordan have become really collectable over the years due to the popularity when Michael