The Big Sip
Image: Nike
The take: Nike centralized its entire innovation operation into one team on Wednesday. The company aims to reverse six consecutive quarters of revenue decline through this organizational change.
What happened: On 23 October 2025, Nike announced "NIKE, Inc. Sport Offense," merging nearly 1,000 designers from Nike, Jordan Brand, and Converse R&D into a unified team. The company simultaneously unveiled Project Amplify (motorized running shoes), neuroscience-based footwear launching January 2026, an inflatable Olympic jacket for the 2026 Winter Olympics, and FIFA World Cup cooling apparel made entirely from textile waste.
Why it matters: CEO Elliott Hill returned from retirement in September 2024 after Nike lost market share to On and Hoka while revenue fell for six straight quarters. Combining three separate labs reduces duplication and establishes clear ownership—when powered shoes launch "in the coming years," one team is accountable for the results.
What to watch: January 2026 launch of the Mind 001 mules (£90) and Mind 002 sneakers (£145) to test whether neuroscience footwear sells beyond initial interest, Project Amplify's pricing and consumer availability timeline (still unannounced), and whether Nike's 40 facilities running the new structure show faster development than competitors by Q4 2026.
[Report] Nike's official Sport Offense announcement details restructuring and four product launches. Published 23 Oct 2025
Nike merged nearly 1,000 designers from Nike, Jordan Brand, and Converse into a single team called NIKE, Inc. Sport Offense. Phil McCartney, Chief Innovation, Design and Product Officer, said the unified structure aims to "accelerate progress and fully leverage our strengths to deliver epic products that make athletes better."
The announcement included four products: Project Amplify (powered footwear with a motor and rechargeable battery), Nike Mind neuroscience footwear (launching January 2026 at $90 and $145), Aero-FIT cooling apparel for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and Therma-FIT Air Milano inflatable jacket for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
More than 400 athletes tested Amplify across 2.4 million steps. The system targets everyday runners who run 12-minute miles, promising to reduce their pace to 10 minutes. The unified structure eliminates separate innovation teams, establishing clear accountability under McCartney's leadership.
If you're wondering whether strapping a Dephy-built motor to your ankle counts as running, Nike's already decided the answer is yes, and they're daring you to argue.