Blue Ribbon Sports initially distributed Onitsuka Tiger shoes in the United States.
After founding Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964, Phil Knight secured distribution rights for shoes made by Onitsuka Co., Ltd., the Japanese company behind the Onitsuka Tiger brand. The arrangement gave the young American business access to lightweight athletic footwear while Onitsuka gained a route into the U.S. market.
Knight and his sales partners promoted the shoes at track meets and through direct selling. The relationship later deteriorated, and Blue Ribbon Sports began developing and selling footwear under its own Nike name.
Onitsuka Tiger is now associated with ASICS, the Japanese sportswear company formed after corporate changes involving Onitsuka. This is why older accounts of Nike’s origins may mention Onitsuka Tiger, while modern readers may recognize the related ASICS name instead.