Phil Knight Net Worth, Relationships, Age/Birthdate & Birthday

Phil Knight is a visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist best known as the co-founder of Nike, Inc. and one of the wealthiest and most generous individuals in global business.

Introduction

Phil Knight (born February 24, 1938) is the American businessman who co-founded Nike — a company that transformed the world of sportswear and athletic culture. As of recent estimates, his net worth stands at roughly US$35.4 billion.  He is married to Penelope "Penny" Knight, and together they have maintained a relatively private personal life despite Knight’s prominent public standing. Mentioning his birthdate and birthday — February 24, 1938 — helps anchor both the man and the legacy behind one of the world’s most iconic brands.

Quick Facts

From Track-Field Roots to Global Influence

Phil Knight’s journey begins in Portland, Oregon, born to William W. Knight and Lota Cloy Hatfield Knight. As a young man, he attended Cleveland High School and later enrolled at the University of Oregon, where he ran track under the famed coach Bill Bowerman — a partnership that would change sportswear forever.

After earning his B.B.A. in 1959, Knight served briefly in the U.S. Army Reserve before pursuing an MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. It was there that he honed his entrepreneurial vision: combining athletic insight with business savvy. 

Defining moments in Phil Knight’s journey include:

• The 1964 founding of his first company, then called Blue Ribbon Sports — the precursor to Nike.

• The 1971 transformation of Blue Ribbon Sports into Nike, adopting the now-legendary “Swoosh” and setting the stage for global dominance.

• The decision to go public and scale Nike from a modest importer of shoes into the world’s most recognized athletic brand.

Through these pivotal steps, Knight combined ambition, timing, and vision, turning a small startup into a powerhouse influencing sports culture worldwide.

The Core Pillars of Phil Knight’s Wealth

The core pillars of Phil Knight’s wealth include:

Phil Knight Relationships & Family Life

Phil Knight’s personal life is marked by enduring partnership and family legacy. He met Penelope “Penny” Parks while teaching — and they married on September 13, 1968. They had children, including a son Travis Knight, who now runs Laika, carrying forward part of his father’s entrepreneurial legacy.  Tragically, their elder son, Matthew Knight, died in a scuba-diving accident in 2004. 

Key insights into Phil Knight’s relationships and personal life:

• His marriage to Penny reflects a long-term, stable partnership spanning decades.

• Through Travis Knight, the family retains involvement in creative and entrepreneurial ventures beyond sportswear.

• Despite enormous public success, Knight appears to value privacy; much about his personal life remains discreet.

Beyond Business: Lifestyle, Assets & Interests

Beyond career success, Phil Knight leads a lifestyle that reflects both passion and purpose, including:

• Ownership of private residences: publicly known to reside near Hillsboro, Oregon, while his official address remains tied to Nike headquarters in Beaverton.

• Possession of private jets and a personal flight hangar at Hillsboro Airport — a mark of his long-standing wealth and mobility. 

• Philanthropic endeavors: through his and Penny’s foundation, Knight has contributed substantial funds toward education, medical research, and athletics — cementing a legacy beyond commerce. 

• Support for creative industries via Laika — signaling a broader interest in arts and storytelling aside from sports and business.

Net Worth Breakdown & Analysis

How is Phil Knight’s net worth evaluated, and what drives its fluctuations?

It’s important to note that valuations of his net worth are snapshots — sensitive to fluctuations in stock price, company performance, and broader market conditions. 

Public Image, Legacy & Influence

To many, Phil Knight is more than a billionaire: he’s a symbol of entrepreneurial grit and reinvention. Through Nike, he helped reshape not only athletic wear — but sports culture, branding, and the global perception of sports itself. 

His philanthropic efforts have deepened that legacy. Generous donations to educational institutions, athletic facilities, and medical research reflect a commitment to giving back to the communities and systems that shaped him. 

Moreover, through Laika, Knight has signaled a belief in creative expression and storytelling — demonstrating a multidimensional legacy beyond commerce. 

Knight’s journey — from athlete to business magnate to philanthropist — offers a narrative of ambition, transformation, and legacy-building.

Conclusion

Phil Knight’s story — anchored by his birthdate, February 24, 1938 — is a testament to what bold vision, resilience, and strategic risk-taking can create. With a net worth estimated at roughly US$ 35.4 billion, his impact spans global business, sports culture, philanthropy, and creativity. His long-standing marriage to Penny, his family legacy through Travis, and his penchant for privacy reflect a grounded personal life even amid global fame.

Ultimately, Phil Knight stands not just as the co-founder of Nike but as a paragon of ambition realized: a self-made magnate whose footprint on sports, business, and philanthropy may endure for generations.