Caitlin Clark Reportedly Set To Close Eight-Figure Endorsement Deal With Nike
Caitlin Clark just signed with the Indiana Fever on Monday (April 15) as this year’s WNBA No. 1 draft pick, and is already reportedly set to receive an eight-figure endorsement deal from Nike.
According to The Athletic, Clark will also receive a signature shoe deal and noted that Under Armour and Adidas also made “sizable offers” to Clark. Front Office Sports reports the rumored shoe deal will be valued at $1 million and collectively, the Nike deal is in the $10-million range.
Her previous deal with Nike ended after her final college basketball season at the University of Iowa. The new partnership will join her roster of other endorsements from Gatorade, Xfinity, State Farm, and more.
Under this new deal, Clark would become one of five current WNBA stars with a shoe endorsement, per Sports Pro Media.
Her popularity helped to set viewership records during the NCAA Tournament—culminating in 18.9 million viewers during the championship game between the Hawkeyes and South Carolina.
The WNBA Draft featuring several other college basketball stars like Angel Reese also had four times as many viewers compared to last year. This made it the most-watched WNBA draft, surpassing the 2004 record.
On Clark’s ascent, New York Liberty point guard Sabrina Ionescu told CBS Sports, “Obviously, the WNBA is excited to bring her in and market wherever she is going to end up and continue to push the game.”
With its onset of recognizable rookies, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert shared her excitement about the upcoming season in a statement. “With the energy and excitement already generated by what we anticipate will be a star-studded rookie class, and on the heels of a 2023 season that featured one of the greatest MVP races in WNBA history and our most-watched regular season in over two decades, the WNBA’s broadcast and streaming partners are offering a huge national platform that will showcase the league’s superstars, rising stars, rivalries and a newly reconfigured WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbas.”
The 2024 WNBA season is set to begin on May 14.
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