Phil Knight

Biography

Knight ran track at the University of Oregon under Bill Bowerman. In 1964 the two founded Blue Ribbon Sports to import Japanese running shoes, with Knight selling them at track meets from his car. Renamed Nike in the 1970s, the company revolutionised sports marketing through athlete endorsements. Knight stepped down as chairman in 2016 and told the company's story in his memoir Shoe Dog.

American entrepreneur who sold running shoes from the trunk of his car and built Nike into the world's largest sportswear company.

Known for

Co-founding Nike with his track coach Bill Bowerman.

Notable works & defining projects

• Nike, Inc.
• Shoe Dog (memoir, 2016)
• Blue Ribbon Sports

Notable achievements

• Co-founded Nike (as Blue Ribbon Sports, 1964) and built it into the world's biggest sportswear brand
• His memoir Shoe Dog (2016) became a bestselling business classic
• With his wife Penny he has pledged over $2 billion to causes including the University of Oregon and Stanford

Timeline

1. 1964Co-founded Blue Ribbon Sports with Bill Bowerman
2. 1971The Nike name and Swoosh debuted
3. 2016Published Shoe Dog and stepped down as Nike's chairman

Did you know?

• He sold his first shoes from the trunk of a Plymouth Valiant at track meets
• The Nike name and Swoosh — bought from a design student for $35 — debuted in 1971