SWOOSH! INSIDE NIKEA BRAND SO POWERFUL, IT’S KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD

By Rocky Worley

Nike was created in 1963-1964

• Bill Bowerman

University of Portland track coach

• Phil Knight

mid-distance runner for University

of Portland

Bill and Phil Joined forces to import and

provide low-cost, high tech running shoes

from Japan in order to provide alternatives

to the German-dominated athletic shoe

market.

Bill Bowerman borrowed the family waffle

iron to pour rubber into it to create the

prototype for the now famous Nike Waffle

Outsole. SWOOSH! INSIDE NIKE -CNBC VIDEO

Creation: Nike

*Stop video at 9:20

Sonny Vaccaro: “Most powerful man in college basketball”

ESPN 30 for 30: Sole Man

• High school teacher in Pennsylvania

• Started Dapper Dan Round ball Classic (Pittsburgh, PA)

o March 26, 1965

• He founded the ABCD All America Camp, an elite showcase of high

school basketball standouts, which ran from 1984 to 2007

o Best high school basketball players from across the country

o Major recruiting venues for college colleges

Coaches looked to Sonny for information about kid’s talent

He became the “middle man” between high school players and

colleges coaches nationwide

ESPN 30 for 30: Sole Man*Start video at 1:07 and stop at 4:13

Sonny Vaccaro: “Most powerful man in college basketball”

Future of: Nike

Global Growth• 2003: For the first time in the company’s history, international sales exceed USA sales,

as Nike continues to develop into a truly global company

New endorsement Deals• LeBron James: lifetime deal with Nike

Estimated to be valued at $500 million

o Nike will not develop a new subsidiary for LBJ as they did with Jordan’s

brand

• Kevin Durant

10 year, $300 million deal

Global Sponsorship

Competition• Nike fired Sonny Vaccaro

• He later worked for Adidas, then Reebok

• 1971: Nike’s Swoosh design logo was created by Portland State University graphic design student Carolyn Davidson when asked by Knight At the time she was paid $35 (US)

o In 1983, Ms. Davidson received a gold Swoosh ring with an embedded diamond at a luncheon honoring her, along with a certificate and an undisclosed amount of Nike stock, in recognition of the Swoosh design logo.

• 1979: Nike’s Air technology patented by inventor M. Frank Rudy (Tailwind running shoe)

• 1982: The Air Force 1 basketball shoe becomes the first Nike court shoe to use Air technology

• 1984: Nike signs Michael Jordan to an endorsement contract Releases the first model of his signature shoe, the Air Jordan.

o Originally, the NBA banned this new shoe, drawing a tremendous amount of publicity. The introduction of the Air Jordan shoe was a key event in Nike’s successful development.

• 1988: Nike introduces its “Just Do It” slogan.

• 1996: Nike signs “Tiger” Woods after the young phenomenon gave up his amateur status Woods becomes the standard bearer for Nike Golf as that division gains market share

• 2003: Nike makes a successful bid to buy bankrupt rival Converse Shoes for $305 million.

• 2003: High school basketball star LeBron James signs with Nike, while Syracuse University star Carmelo Anthony signs with Jordan Brand. James and Anthony finish 1-2, respectively, in rookie-of-the-year balloting.

Significant Dates: Nike History

References: NIKE

1. List of Nike sponsorships, Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nike_sponsorships#Current_sponsorships

2. Swoosh! Inside Nike! by CNBC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwXRX4jkSlc

3. ESPN 30 for 30: Sole Man. http://espn.go.com/30for30/film?page=soleman