-
Reebok is created
In 1958, JW Foster and Sons branch out and create Reebok. The company first started by selling shoes in the United Kingdom. -
Reebok in the United States
In 1979, Paul Fireman saw potential in Reebok at the Chicago International sneaker trade show. Fireman soon negotiated a deal to license and distributes the Reebok brand in the United States. Reebok began to sell in the United States. -
$1.5 Million
In 1981, Reebok exceeded $1.5 million in sales. The company introduced three new track shoes which sold for $60 a pair. Reebok had the most expensive shoes on the market at that time. -
Reebok for women
In 1982, Reebok changed the sneaker industry by doing something unheard of at the time. Reebok introduced athletic shoes for women. This caused Reebok to dominate the sneaker market for much of the early 1980's. -
Reebok Pump's
In 1989, Reebok released it's first shoe specifically for basketball. The shoe was called Pump, known for the pump on the tongue of the shoe which tightened the shoe around the ankle. Pump was sold for $170, which was double to cost of most other basketball shoes. Despite this large price gap, Reebok sold over 20 million pairs worldwide over a four year period. -
Dee Brown
In 1991, Reebok got Boston Celtic rookie Dee Brown to promote Pump in the 1991 All-Star weekend Slam Dunk contest. Before taking his shot, he pumped his Pumps, and after he shot he deflated his Pump's. The crowd loved this moment, and caused sales to rise tremendously. -
Getting back sales
In 1996, after years of decreased sales and dominance by Nike, Reebok decided to endorse celebrities. Reebok endorsed Allen Iverson, and gained success in promoting the company by doing this. Reebok even went on to releasing a shoe by Iverson called "The Answer". This shoe sold at a fast pace and helped Reebok become a top shoe seller again. -
Allen Iverson
In 2001, Reebok signed Allen Iverson to a life long contrast which states that Iverson will sport the brand until his days in the NBA are over. This is Reebok's biggest endorsements. -
ATR (Above the Rim) Pump
In 2005, Reebok released its new ATR (above the Rim) Pump shoe during NBA All-Star weekend. This shoe is very similar to the original Reebok Pump's, except that the pump is located on the outer ankle of the shoe versus the tongue. Reebok was able to get Allen Iverson and Yao Ming to endorse their new shoe.This made Reebok shoe sales increase greatly. -
Reebok and CCM merge
In 2005, Reebok acquired official NHL sponsor CCM. Reebok began to make hockey equipment under the CCM and Reebok brand. Reebok also began manufacturing replica jerseys with their logo on it. -
Adidas buys Reebok
On January 31, 2006, Reebok was bought out by Germany’s Adidas-Salomon for $3.78 billion. Reebok and Adidas were constantly competing for second place below Nike, so the merger was made in an attempt to overthrow the number one sneaker manufacturer. However, this did not happen quickly. -
UFC and Reebok
On December 2, 2014, the UFC announced a 6 year deal with Reebok to endorse their products. This increased Reebok's sales even more in the following year. The deal officially began in July of 2015.
