Caitlin Clark Signs with Nike
Austin Ruzbarsky
Stillman News Writer
The internet backlash began when the commotion surrounding last week’s WNBA draft subsided. Many people were noticing that the bright new stars of the WNBA were going to get paid. Consider March Madness’s darling, Caitlin Clark the drama surrounding Clark’s next basketball destination came to an end when the Indiana Fever received the first pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
The same couldn’t be said for her shoe deal, as the biggest player in women’s basketball history was embroiled in fierce competition with some of the biggest shoe brands. According to The Wall Street Journal claims that during NBA All-Star weekend in mid-February, Clark’s representatives from Excel Sports Management met with representatives from Adidas, Under Armor, and Puma, among other brands, and informed them that they were seeking a $3 million annual deal as a starting point for the negotiations. This meeting marked the beginning of a pressured pace in the negotiations.
Even though Clark hadn’t announced the WNBA Draft at the time, it was obvious that she would be the sport’s biggest star come the following season, whether she was a pro or still attending the University of Iowa. The new Indiana Fever guard’s new contract with Nike could bring in up to $28 million over eight years and she’ll also get her signature shoe as part of the deal. On April 17, The Athletics’ own and famously known Shams Charania first revealed that Nike had signed the Iowa legend, with a reported payment of over $20 million. Though the 22-year-old’s on-court output and box office potential speak for themselves, Nike is undoubtedly placing a significant wager on Clark.
During her four years with the Hawkeyes, she averaged 28.4 points and 8.2 assists. Towards the end of her college career, she was featured in several NCAA tournament games that broke attendance records. Early returns suggest that she was able to carry over the substantial fan base she developed at Iowa into her WNBA career. The 2024 WNBA draft attracted an average viewership of 2.45 million, which quadrupled the previous record of 601,000. Clark’s Fever jersey sold out fast both at Fanatics and the WNBA’s official store, which is more evidence that her fame is having a real impact on the league.
Contact Austin at austin.ruzbarsky@student.shu.edu