niketimeline HIGHLIGHTS

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Before there was Nike, there was Bill Bowerman, Nike's future co-founder. And before Bowerman there was Bill Hayward, the first track director at the University of Oregon. Hayward led Oregon athletics from 1904 to 1947. Named in his honor, the University's historic track & field venue has hosted three Olympic Trials, and a variety of National, NCAA, and Masters championships. A claim could be made that Hayward Field was Nike's unofficial birthplace.

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Knight's first shipment of Tiger shoes arrives in December, 200 pairs in all.

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The first BRS West retail store was opened in Eugene, Oregon, by future veteran employee Geoff Hollister and future company president Bob Woodell.

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Knight resigns his position as Assistant Professor of Business Administration at Portland State University to devote himself full time to the company.

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Bowerman begins experimenting with rubber spikes by pouring a liquid rubber compound into his wife's waffle iron, creating a sole that forever changes the design of running shoes.

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For a fee of $35, the Swoosh trademark is created by a graphic design student named Carolyn Davidson whom Phil Knight had met at Portland State University.

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Jeff Johnson, Nike's first employee, makes his most enduring contribution to the company. While sleeping he dreams of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory -- giving the company its new name. Nike won out over Knight's idea of calling the company "Dimension 6."

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Knight and Bowerman join together in the new enterprise, each contributing $500 to the partnership. Knight works for an accounting firm and in his spare time distributes the shoes from his father's basement, and out of the back of his car at local and regional track meets. Runners don BRS shoes -- many prototypes designed by Bowerman -- and provide feedback to the company on concepts for future footwear development.

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Jeff Johnson, a former track competitor of Phil Knight at Stanford, agrees to work on commission as BRS' first full-time employee.

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Knight and Bowerman incorporate BRS, Inc., an Oregon corporation, as successor to their partnership known as Blue Ribbon Sports. BRS, Inc. (doing business as Blue Ribbon Sports) is the exclusive marketer, distributor, and seller of Onitsuka Tiger running shoes imported from Japan. The shoes are based on a foam cushion heel wedge design proposed by Bill Bowerman. Dec. 26, 1967

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Bill Bowerman - Olympian, Olympic coach, innovator and inspirational mentor - took over as head track coach at the University of Oregon in 1948, a job he held until 1973.

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The future co-founders of Nike meet at the University of Oregon in Eugene, America's running citadel. Bill Bowerman, already one of the top U.S. track coaches, and Phil Knight, a middle distance runner on Bowerman's track team, begin their relationship.

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Phil Knight's research paper at Stanford asserts that low-priced, high-performance well-merchandised exports from Japan could replace Germany's domination of the U.S. athletic shoe industry. After receiving his MBA, Knight takes a world tour. Stopping in Japan, he contacts the Onitsuka Tiger company, manufacturers of quality athletic shoes, and convinces it of great marketing opportunities for its product in the U.S. Put on the spot to appear as though he owns a company, Knight makes up a company name, giving birth to "Blue Ribbon Sports," the forerunner of Nike.

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Jeff Johnson opens the first BRS retail outlet in Santa Monica, Calif.

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Frustrated with the inability to secure loans at local banks, Knight finds a new method of creative financing. Through the Bank of Tokyo, a trading company called Nissho Iwai introduces BRS to import letters of credit and lays the foundation for future rapid growth.

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Steve Prefontaine dies in a car accident in Eugene, Oregon. At the time of his death, Pre held the American records at every distance from 2,000 to 10,000 meters -- seven in all. It is a feat never accomplished before or since. The loss of America's best runner has an enormous impact on Nike and the running world.

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At the Olympic Trials, Nike shoes are seen in abundance for the first time -- worn by young, rising stars in both middle- and long-distance events.The Eugene-based trials signal a promising future for the company's promotional activities.

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Nike starts the first U.S. track-and-field training club for elite athletes, calling it Athletics West.

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Tennis great John McEnroe signs a deal with the company. Nike recognizes itself in McEnroe's colorful character and feisty personality.

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Frank Rudy, former NASA employee, came to Nike with an idea which Nike helped refine to create a better shoe. Together, Nike and Rudy engineered the first Air-Sole units: durable bags filled with pressurized gas that compress under impact, then spring back. The result is Nike Air cushioning, the single greatest footwear cushioning innovation ever developed.

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Nike introduces the TAILWIND, the first running shoe with Nike Air, the technologi-cally advanced, patented Air-Sole cushioning system.

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The first athlete to win an Olympic medal wearing Nike shoes is British runner, Steve Ovett. Though a U.S. boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games denied America's best distance runners a chance at glory, it gave Ovett a golden opportunity. Competing in the 800m, Ovett clinched a gold medal in 1:45.4. For the first time, Nike shoes graced the highest podium beneath the flame.

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Nike completes an initial public offering of 2,377,000 shares of Class B common stock.

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BRS, Inc., the subsidiary of Nike, Inc., is merged into Nike, Inc. Nike, Inc. is the surviving corporation.

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Nike opens a footwear distribution center in Memphis, Tennessee.

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A distribution dispute leads to litigation and an eventual break in business relations between BRS and Onitsuka Tiger.

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BRS launches Nike for athletes competing at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene.

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American record-holder Steve Prefontaine becomes the first major track athlete to wear Nike brand shoes. He converts many of his fellow competitors to the young brand.

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The WAFFLE TRAINER is introduced featuring Coach Bowerman's famous Waffle outsole. It quickly becomes the best-selling training shoe in the country.

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Nike-shod Joan Benoit shatters the women's world marathon record just four months before 23 Nike-supported athletes capture medals in the inaugural World Track and Field Championships in Helsinki, Finland.

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58 Nike-supported athletes from around the globe take home 65 medals at the L.A. Games.

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Chicago Bulls basketball rookie Michael Jordan endorses a Nike line of AIR JORDAN court shoes and specialized apparel.

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Revenues top the landmark billion-dollar mark. Nike begins producing apparel collections, beginning with John McEnroe for tennis, followed by Michael Jordan for basketball.

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The Air Max shoe, giving athletes their first look at Nike-AIR cushioning, is introduced by the controversial "Revolution" ad campaign

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Just Do It ad -- It became both universal and intensely personal. It spoke of sports. It invited dreams. It was a call to action, a refusal to hear excuses, and a license to be eccentric, courageous and exceptional. It was Nike. This campaign is now ensconced in the Americana exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum -- it truly became part of America's history.

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Nike breaks new ground with the acquisition of Cole Haan. The American luxury brand, Cole Haan, makes men's and women's footwear, accessories and outerwear focusing on craftsmanship, design innovation and character.

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The doors open to the Nike World Campus located in Beaverton, Oregon. The Campus sits on 74 acres and offers 570,000 square feet of breathtaking work space throughout seven buildings, each named after a special athlete.

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The first NikeTown opens in Portland, Oregon. The store invents pure sports retail with 23,095 sq. ft. of athlete-driven award-winning design.

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Michael Jordan leads the Chicago Bulls to their first NBA Championship.

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Every medallist on the USA track and field team at the Barcelona Games wears Nike apparel. And they will do so for every event into the next century as a result of an exclusive agreement between Nike and The Athletics Congress.

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Nike introduces an innovative sustainabil-ity program, Reuse-A-Shoe which collects athletic shoes, separates and grinds them up into Nike Grind which is used in the making of athletic courts, tracks and fields.

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Cal Ripken breaks Lou Gehrig's record streak of 2,130 consecutive games played.

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Nike enters the hockey arena with the acquisition of Canstar Sports Inc. which includes Bauer, and introduces its first skate, Air Eccel Elite. All Canstar brands were later consolidated under the Bauer brand name (1998).

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In November 1996, NIKETOWN New York opens its 85,000 sq. ft. of innovative retail design and sports heritage.

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Carl Lewis, Gail Devers and the golden-spiked Michael Johnson win gold in the Atlanta Games.

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evolution of the fitness revolution, led by the Air Cross Trainer High shoe -- cushioned enough for court sports and aerobics.

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Lance Armstrong wins his first Tour de France. The Nike athlete and cancer survivor made world headlines in Paris on July 25, 1999, with one of the most stunning comebacks ever in the history of sport.

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Nike mourns the passing of its co-founder, Bill Bowerman in December.

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Nike Golf sales surge after Tiger Woods switches to Nike Precision Tour Accuracy golf balls and wins three majors during the season.

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Nike designs uniforms for over 2,000 athletes at the Sydney Games for 25 sports. The Games give Nike the perfect opportunity to introduce high-performance, innovative products to the world, including revealing the lightest track spike ever made, the aerodynamic and thermo-regulatory Swift Suit, the recyclable Marathon Singlet and a new standard in responsive cushioning systems called Nike Shox.

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Following the tragedy of September 11, Nike remembers the victims and families touched by this event and honors America's firefighters by running. Some 265 employee runners participate in a 7-week fundraiser, Run Across America, starting in Astoria, OR stopping at 44 firehouses along the way and ending in New York City.

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Speedskaters wearing Nike Swift Skin suits set 8 world records and earn gold medals at the Salt Lake City Olympic Games.

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Nike acquires premium teen lifestyle brand Hurley International.

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Nike celebrates 30th anniversary by restoring nearly 90 Portland Parks & Recreation outdoor basketball courts.

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NikeGO launches - nationwide community program to increase physical activity in American youth.

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Soccer fans worldwide embrace the “Secret Tournament” campaign, which features three-on-three contests between the world's elite soccer players in a “secret tournament” on an ocean tanker offshore; millions participate on the integrated web site.

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Nike is again named “advertiser of the year” by the Cannes Advertising Festival, the first two-time recipient in the prestigious award's 50-year history.

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Lance Armstrong wins his fifth consecutive Tour de France.

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Phil Knight formally commits Nike to strict standards for manufacturing facilities used by Nike, including: minimum age; air quality; mandatory education programs; expansion of microloan program; factory monitoring; and enhanced transparency of Nike's corporate responsibility practices.

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Bauer Nike Hockey is formed. Former Canstar brands are consolidated under the Bauer brand name.

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Tiger Woods wins his first Masters by an unprecedented 12 strokes, becomes Augusta's youngest champion and officially begins his reign over golf.

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For the first time in Nike’s History, International sales exceed U.S. sales.

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International sales exceed U.S. sales

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In August, Nike created the Exeter Brands Group, a wholly owned subsidiary, dedicated to building athletic footwear and apparel brands for the value retail channel.

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Nike announced the appointment of William D. Perez as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director effective December 28, 2004. Mr. Perez succeeds Nike, Inc. co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Philip H. Knight. Mr. Perez, 57, had been President and Chief Executive Officer of S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. since 1996 wrapping up his 34-year career with the company.

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Nike Acquired Official Starter Properties LLC and Official Starter LLC which are the sole owners and licensors of the Starter, Team Starter and Asphalt brand names as well as master licensee of the Shaq and Dunkman brands, a line of athletic apparel, footwear and accessory products for the value retail channel.

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Converse Inc. joins the growing Nike portfolio.

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