The Olympic Games in Athens had a very positive response from the worldwide sporting community and also had commercial benefits for sportswear giants Nike. The US firm saw a 26% turnover increase in the 3 months leading up to the 2004 Olympic Games.

Their pre-tax income rose to more than half a billion US dollars, with sales particularly brisk in Europe and North America. The record breaking growth was undoubtedly boosted by the fact that many leading Olympians wore Nike-branded items. The company currently provides sponsorships for leading names such as golfer Tiger Woods, basketball star Michael Jordan and a host of top football players, including the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry.

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