Under former CEO John Donahoe from 2020 to 2024, Nike shifted aggressively to direct sales via Nike.com, cutting retailer partnerships and reorganizing products into broad groups like 'Women' and 'Men' instead of running or basketball specialties.
This worked during COVID lockdowns but hurt when shoppers returned to stores, leaving Nike's shelves empty while rivals filled the gaps; marketing also pivoted to digital ads over broad brand-building. Current CEO Elliott Hill is rebuilding wholesale ties and sports focus, highlighting the risks of ignoring physical retail and category expertise.