Nike Files

Nike throughout its years of success has had its ups and downs. The company has either been sued, or throughout the years the competition has been getting stronger and stronger.
Nike Inc. has expensive endorsement contracts with star athletes in order to dominate the entire athletic footwear business. By doing so it makes fans like myself want to go out and get the shoes. In 1998 the giant footwear and apparel company was being hurt by the Asian economic slowdown, criticism of working conditions in the company’s overseas factories and savvy marketing thrusts by competing brands such as Adidas. Adidas has used its European clout to build bridges to soccer, the world’s fastest-growing sport. And the German company had signaled its intent to challenge Nike on its own turf, possibly by signing an endorsement deal with a National Football League team. Nike has recognized the need for change in its marketing and in its product lines. For a period of time Nike had gott...