Today, Nike (NYSE:NKE) announced the Nike Ease Challenge, which invites designers, engineers, makers and innovators to advance and reinvent footwear design for athletes of all abilities. The $50,000 challenge continues Nike’s leadership in driving footwear innovations that help all athletes to live more active and independent lives.

Nike’s mission is to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* (*If you have a body you are an athlete). The Nike Ease Challenge embodies that mission by calling on a broader community of innovators who share Nike’s commitment to elevate athletes at all levels – from the elite to the everyday. The challenge is intended to build upon the advancements of Nike’s array of innovative designs – such as Nike HyperAdapt 1.0, Nike FLYEASE, Nike Air Rift, Nike Sock Dart and more – that help people more easily put on, secure and take off their shoes.

“Nike is driven by a competitive spirit that drives us to do the seemingly impossible for our athletes,” said Mark Parker, Chairman, President and CEO of NIKE, Inc. “Today, we are working with others who share our passion for removing barriers through breakthrough innovation. I can’t wait to see what powerful ideas come out of this challenge.”

The Nike Ease Challenge is officially open today, with a submission deadline of December 15, 2016. Three finalists will be selected at the end of March 2017 and invited to Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Finalists will present their designs to a panel of Nike leaders and athletes, with a winner selected in April 2017.

To apply or for additional details, go to www.NikeEaseChallenge.com. To learn more about Nike’s and its design innovations that redefine the traditional method of putting on and lacing up a shoe, visit Nike News.

About NIKE, Inc. NIKE, Inc., based near 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, Inc. subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories; and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes surf and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, Nike’s earnings releases and other financial information are available at http://investors.nike.com. Individuals can also visit http://news.nike.com/ and follow @Nike.

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