Nike was founded by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman in 1964, originally under the name Blue Ribbon Sports.
Knight, a University of Oregon middle-distance runner, and Bowerman, his track coach, began the business on January 25, 1964. Their first venture distributed running shoes made by Japan’s Onitsuka Tiger, now known as ASICS. Knight handled sales and business operations, while Bowerman experimented with ways to make running shoes lighter and more effective.
The company initially sold shoes from cars and at track meets rather than operating as the global brand shoppers know today. Bowerman’s experiments eventually produced the waffle sole, inspired by a household waffle iron, and helped shape the company’s reputation for athletic innovation. Blue Ribbon Sports adopted the Nike name in 1971, taking it from the Greek goddess of victory.
The main quiz trap is the date: Nike, Inc. did not officially exist under that name in 1964. The founders and founding partnership are correct, but the original corporate identity was Blue Ribbon Sports.