Question 1

True or false: Knight’s first shoe company was called Blue Ribbon Sports, which later became Nike.

Accepted Answer

True. He co-founded Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964, distributing Onitsuka Tiger shoes, before launching Nike in 1971.

Question 2

True or false: Phil Knight initially sold shoes out of the trunk of his car at track meets.

Accepted Answer

True. Knight started his business by importing Japanese sneakers and selling them from his car at local track events.

Question 3

True or false: Phil Knight never graduated from college because he dropped out to start his shoe company.

Accepted Answer

False. Knight earned an MBA from Stanford and a BA from the University of Oregon before starting Blue Ribbon Sports.

Question 4

True or false: Phil Knight was a middle-distance runner at the University of Oregon under coach Bill Bowerman.

Accepted Answer

True. Knight ran track for Oregon and was coached by Bowerman, who later co-founded Nike with him.

Question 5

True or false: Nike’s famous Swoosh logo was designed by Phil Knight himself in a single afternoon.

Accepted Answer

False. The Swoosh was designed by graphic design student Carolyn Davidson for just $35; Knight did not create it.

Question 6

True or false: Knight named Nike after the Greek goddess of victory, but the name was originally suggested by his wife.

Accepted Answer

False. Nike was named after the Greek goddess, but the name was suggested by employee Jeff Johnson, not Knight’s wife.

Question 7

True or false: Phil Knight is a secretive billionaire who has never written a memoir or given a public interview.

Accepted Answer

False. Knight wrote a best-selling memoir, 'Shoe Dog,' and has given several interviews over the years.

Question 8

True or false: Knight’s first shipment of Nike shoes was rejected by U.S. Customs for having illegal materials.

Accepted Answer

True. An early Nike shipment was briefly seized because the midsole foam was mistakenly classified as a controlled substance.

Phil Knight Trivia Questions