NIKE

NIKE.

Nike is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. As of 2008, it employed more than 30,000 people worldwide.The company was founded on January 25, 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports by Bill Bowerman and Philip Knight, and officially became Nike, Inc. in 1978. Nike also owned Bauer Hockey (later renamed Nike Bauer) between 1995 and 2008.Nike, originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports, was founded by University of Oregon track athlete Philip Knight and his coach Bill Bowerman in January 1964. The company initially operated as a distributor for Japanese shoe maker Onitsuka Tiger, making most sales at track meets out of Knight's automobile.Throughout the 1980s, Nike expanded its product line to include many other sports and regions throughout the world.