Nike and the University of Oregon
Ties between Nike, Inc. and the University of Oregon are ongoing and have existed for decades. The relationship is so close that the institution is sometimes referred to as the "University of Nike".[1][2]
Effect on physical plant[edit]
As of 2023, 16.5% of UO's gross square footage (based on building inventory) is purpose-built for the university's NCAA sports program.[18] UO's NCAA program currently occupies 1,492,802 gross square feet of building space. Many of these facilities are only accessible to student athletes.
UO adopted The Oregon Experiment's campus planning framework in the 1970s, which was developed by UC Berkeley architecture professor Christopher Alexander. In the proceeding decades UO has moved further away from this framework. UO's athletic facilities have embraced different design ideals and do not involve university input. It can be said that the athletic department reject's The Oregon Experiment.[19]