Over the past 37 years, the Nike brand has grown into a successful multi-billion dollar company. It has also become the world's largest distributor of sports shoes and clothing. The Company's products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world and in 20,000 retail stores nationwide. Nike also operates overseas retail stores, such as Nike Towns and factory outlets. Although Nike is involved in the design, development and marketing of the product; the products are produced independently. In addition to its wide range of athletic footwear and apparel, the company also sells Nike and Bauer branded athletic gear, Cole Haan branded casual clothing and footwear, and the Sports Specialties headwear line. The company was originally founded by Phil Knight, a Stanford student. College business graduate who had been a member of the track and field team as an undergraduate at the University of Oregon. He started a company called "Blue Ribbon Sports" with which he sold shoes imported from Japan to the American market. His future partner Bill Bowerman was a nationally respected track and field coach at the University of Oregon. Bowerman and Knight became partners in the early 1970s, when Knight ended his partnership with the Japanese company after a disagreement. Knight and Bowerman were ready to move from being a shoe distributor to designing and manufacturing their own brand of athletic shoes. They chose a brand now known internationally as “Swoosh,” which was created by Carolyn Davidson, a graphic design student at Portland State University. The brand's products always featured new innovations and made a great impression on the people who used them. The company's success stems from their constant design innovation...... middle of paper ......on. But a team of executives persuaded Knight that football was the future of the company. Today, football sales represent nearly a billion dollars, or 25% of the global market” (p. 80). Collectively, Nike was very dominant in the 1990s due to its massive sales in both domestic and international markets. The company diversified into sports equipment and aimed to expand the business into the marketing of sports balls, protective equipment, glasses and watches. Additionally, the company signed its next superstar spokesperson. Nikebiz (2010) stated, “In 1996, Nike Golf signed an extremely talented but unproven young golfer named Eldrick “Tiger” Woods for $5 million per year. Competitors laughed and critics howled at Nike's "craziness" until Tiger won the 1997 Masters by a record 12 strokes. The golf phenomenon ultimately broke numerous records and won numerous tournaments..