The History of Nike

Written by: Paige Leal

The phrase “just do it!” is yelled at you while you are getting ready to run the 100m dash, you look down at your shoes and see a swoosh, giving you hope that you will win this race. 

The story of Nike begins with two men who saw that athletic shoes could be lighter, stronger, and more innovative than what was being sold in the 1960s. Phil Knight, a young runner and business graduate, teamed up with his college track coach, Bill Bowerman, and together they built one of the world’s most recognizable brands.

In 1964, Knight and Bowerman started a company called Blue Ribbon Sports in Eugene, Oregon. At first, the idea wasn’t to make their own shoes at all. Knight imported running shoes from Japan and sold them out of the trunk of his car at track meets. He and Bowerman shared a simple belief that creating affordable shoes with great performance could appeal to athletes and everyday runners alike.

As a track coach, Bowerman hated how heavy and uncomfortable most running shoes were. Instead of accepting what was available, he started experimenting on his own, breaking apart shoes and redesigning them to be lighter and more supportive. One of his earliest breakthroughs came when he worked with the Japanese company Onitsuka Tiger to develop a shoe called the Tiger Cortez, designed with better cushioning and durability for distance runners. The Cortez became very popular, and by the late 1960s, the business was making serious money.

In 1971 Blue Ribbon Sports officially became Nike, named after the Greek goddess of victory. This was so when people would wear these new, comfortable shoes, they would feel the victory. That’s also when the famous Swoosh logo was introduced, Knight paid just $35 for the design.

One of Bowerman’s most innovative moments came with a waffle iron. What could a waffle iron possibly do? Well, while he tried to create better traction, he poured rubber into the iron and created the first waffle-pattern sole, the texture at the bottom of a shoe. This idea led to the iconic Waffle Trainer, a unique shoe that helped Nike stand out in the growing sneaker market.

Nike didn’t just grow because of good shoes, the biggest breakthrough was through marketing. In the 1980s, signing athletes like Michael Jordan helped launch shoes like the Air Jordans and turned Nike into a global cultural force, not just a performance brand.

From selling shoes from a car to becoming a brand known around the world, Nike’s history is a story of innovation, risk-taking, and a constant belief that you can make a difference. 

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