Nike Will Outfit U.S. Men's National Soccer Team in Germany This Summer; U.S. Soccer Set to Announce the Final Roster Tonight

Business Wire, May 3, 2006

BEAVERTON, Ore. -- (Grassroots Newswire) As U.S. Men's National Team Manager Bruce Arena prepares to announce the 23-player roster tonight for this summer's world championships, Nike is ready to outfit the team in its national team uniforms. This year's team kit displays the breadth and depth of Nike's most innovative soccer product line ever and highlights its growth momentum in becoming the leading soccer brand, dedicated to the joy of playing the world's most beautiful game.

"Great soccer is inspiring, on the street and in the stadium, and Nike today celebrates brilliant soccer with the announcement of the perhaps the strongest side ever to represent the United States on the global football stage," said Charlie Denson, president of the Nike brand. "Nike soccer is about the joy of playing, whether it be worldwide or here in the United States. Our products, our players and our global brand leadership reflect that."

Nike has shown dramatic growth in soccer in just over a decade, from roughly a $40 million business in 1994 to one that is approaching $1.5 billion today. Globally, this year Nike expects to sell a record 23 million pairs of soccer footwear, more than 10 million balls and more than 2.4 million of team replica uniforms. In the U.S., Nike expects a 300 percent increase in uniform sales over 2002.

Nike U.S. Men's National Team jerseys went on sale around the world in April at retail locations, as well as on ussoccer.com and nikesoccer.com. The U.S. Team's No. 5 FIFA world ranking, combined with Nike's classic design for the U.S. home and away jerseys, continues to fuel anticipation among soccer fans and consumers.

"Nike soccer represents one of our top three businesses today, an incredible achievement from where we started in 1994," Denson said. "We have great momentum. In the past four years, we have more than doubled Nike's soccer business worldwide, and we have established brand leadership in the hearts and minds of consumers. We are confident that Nike product innovation and our connection to players and consumers will continue to drive significant growth."

The U.S. jerseys feature the red, white and blue of the Star Spangled Banner, with both the home and away kits giving a nod to the jerseys worn by the U.S. squad that upset England 1-0 in the 1950 World Cup. Bold stripes and a prominent U.S. federation logo, all on a classic jersey design, appeal equally to soccer traditionalists and today's young, contemporary fans and athletes.

Nike Sphere Dry is just one example of product innovation across Nike's footwear, apparel and equipment product lines for soccer. Other key product innovation is reflected in the fastest boot, Nike's Mercurial Vapor III, and the Tiempo and Total 90 boots, as well as the Mercurial and Aerow Total 90 balls.

The Men's National Team uniform represents a portion of Nike's commitment to soccer. Last week, Nike announced a $1 million commitment to donate 10 soccer fields in cities across the country, including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. As part of its Joga Bonito (Portuguese for Play Beautiful) campaign, Nike is also hosting the Joga3 National "Futsal" Tournament in local communities nationwide. "Futsal" is a smaller, quicker version of modern-day soccer and is the featured sport in what Nike aims to be the largest soccer tournament in the world, with more than three million kids participating this summer.

Nike also launched Joga.com, a social network created by Nike and Google, giving people who share a passion for the joy and beauty of soccer the chance to create a global online community for the world's most popular sport. Available in 14 languages, joga.com enables users to create their own profiles, pick their favorite players, see profiles of players such as Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney, choose teams and pitches, post their own photos and videos, and form global social networks with others to share, debate and celebrate the heart and soul of soccer. Joga.com is currently averaging a new member every 8 seconds.

About NIKE, Inc.

NIKE, Inc. based in Beaverton, Oregon is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned Nike subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; NIKE Bauer Hockey Inc., a leading designer and distributor of hockey equipment; Cole Haan, a leading designer and marketer of luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories and Exeter Brands Group LLC, which designs and markets athletic footwear and apparel for the value retail channel.

Powered by NewsWire One

To view full electronic news release go to http://www.newswire1.net/NW2006/A_FHI_CH/nike0502/

powered by Grassroots Newswire(TM)