On what date was Nike, Inc. founded as Blue Ribbon Sports?

Nike, Inc. was founded as Blue Ribbon Sports on January 25, 1964.

Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight established the company in Eugene, Oregon. Knight had developed an interest in importing Japanese running shoes, while Bowerman experimented with footwear designs for athletes.

Blue Ribbon Sports initially distributed shoes made by Onitsuka Tiger, now known as ASICS. The business later began producing its own footwear and adopted the Nike name in 1971.

A common mix-up is confusing the founding date with the date the company changed its name. Nike became the corporate name in 1971, several years after Blue Ribbon Sports began trading. The company’s famous Swoosh also appeared during that transition period.