According to a source familiar with the discussions, Nike Inc. and basketball player Caitlin Clark are getting close to signing an eight-figure endorsement agreement before Clark’s May professional debut.
After one of the finest collegiate careers ever, Clark was sponsored by Nike through a name, image, and likeness deal while she was a student-athlete at the University of Iowa. This month, the Indiana Fever picked her as the #1 selection in the WNBA draft.
Nike will launch a signature shoe for Clark
As the biggest sportswear brand in the world puts together a roster of young basketball stars, including best-selling names like LeBron James and Kevin Durant who are getting close to retirement, Clark is anticipated to have a signature shoe line with Nike. She would join the group of 20-year-old talents from Nike who have shoe franchises: Devin Booker, Ja Morant, and Zion Williamson.
In a March conference call with investors and analysts, Nike CEO John Donahoe brought up Clark. Soon after breaking the NCAA scoring record that month, Nike featured Clark in a commercial.
As more stars emerge and viewership improves, major athletic manufacturers are turning their attention to women’s sports; nevertheless, few have given women players footwear lines.
