Article content It’s been quite the week for the NHL. It began with a Game 7 that drew an average viewership of more than 15 million on both sides of the border (7.55 million in Canada on Rogers Sportsnet, CBC, Citytv and TVA Sports, and 7.
7 million on ESPN/ABC in the U.S). That not only set a broadcast record for Sportsnet, but was also the biggest national audience for a Stanley Cup Final game since the Boston Bruins beat the in Game 7 in 2011 (drawing 8.
6 million). Also on tap this week: The NHL Awards were on Thursday night and the draft today and tomorrow in Las Vegas, and free-agency on Monday, July 1, making it a robust week of summer hockey. For at least 40 of its 60 years in business, Nike (NYSE: NKE) has been a winner on the rise — and a bold and brash one at that.
Founded by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman in 1964, it was rebranded from Blue Ribbon Sports Inc. to the name of the Greek goddess of victory in 1971. It all turned on the dime that was its big partnership play with Michael Jordan in 1984.
In classic win-win fashion, the launch of the Air Jordan brand made Nike what it is today; an athletic shoe and sports equipment juggernaut that drives more than US$50 billion in revenue per annum, universally recognized simply by its iconic swoosh brand mark. Yet this 60th anniversary year hasn’t offered much to celebrate, what with a two per cent drop in revenue year-over-year (down to US$12.6 billion in its fiscal fourth quarter).
Compounding the issue for Nike i.