Nike
The company was founded on January 25, 1964, as "Blue Ribbon Sports", by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, and officially became Nike, Inc. on May 30, 1971. The company takes its name from Nike, the Greek goddess of victory.[9] Nike markets its products under its own brand, as well as Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Nike+, Nike Blazers, Air Force 1, Nike Dunk, Air Max, Foamposite, Nike Skateboarding and Nike CR7.[10] The company also sells products under its Air Jordan brand and its Converse subsidiary. Nike also owned Bauer Hockey from 1995 to 2008, and previously owned Cole Haan, Umbro, and Hurley International.[11] In addition to manufacturing sportswear and equipment, the company operates retail stores under the Niketown name. Nike sponsors many high-profile athletes and sports teams around the world, with the highly recognized trademarks of "Just Do It" and the Swoosh logo.
As of 2024, it employed 83,700 people worldwide.[12] In 2020, the brand alone was valued in excess of $32 billion, making it the most valuable brand among sports businesses.[13] Previously, in 2017, the Nike brand was valued at $29.6 billion.[14] Nike ranked 89th in the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue.[15] The company ranked 239th in the Forbes Global 2000 companies in 2024.
