It seems like Caitlin Clark is about to break yet another record.
The No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft and most prolific scorer in NCAA Division I history has extended her relationship with Nike by agreeing to a $28 million contract that will run for eight years and feature a signature shoe.
Citing anonymous sources with knowledge of the talks between Clark’s representatives and the sportswear behemoth, The Athletic and The Wall Street Journal announced the impending agreement.
Clark’s agent, Excel Sports Management, opted not to respond. An Associated Press request for comment was not immediately answered by Nike.
Signed in 2022, Clark’s first name, image, and likeness deal ended at the conclusion of the 2023–2024 college season.
The new contract would be the most paying sponsorship agreement for a player in women’s basketball.
According to the WSJ and The Athletic, Under Armour and Adidas also took part in contract negotiations with Clark’s squad in February. According to the WSJ, Puma expressed some interest as well but left when they were informed that the bidding would begin at $3 million year.
According to the WSJ, Clark received offers of $16 million from Under Armour over four years and $6 million from Adidas over four years, both of which included a trademark shoe.
According to On3.com, Clark made over $3 million in NIL money at Iowa from partnerships with companies like Gatorade, State Farm, and others.
Even before Clark declared she would turn pro rather than play a fifth season in Iowa under the COVID-19 exemption granted to college players during the 2020 cycle, her agents were already working on the new Nike contract.
On April 15, Clark was chosen first overall by the Indiana Fever in the NBA Draft after averaging 31.6 points and led the Hawkeyes to their second consecutive national championship game. She will start off with a salary of $76,000.
She has been the primary force behind the notable surge in interest in women’s basketball thanks to her combination of outstanding thread-the-needle passes, deep 3-point shots, and general court presence. A record 18.9 million viewers watched the NCAA championship game between Iowa and South Carolina, while a record 2.45 million people watched the draft in women’s basketball.
36 of the 40 games the Fever will play this season will be broadcast nationally on television, and ticket sales have surged all throughout the league.
Her polished media appearances boost her marketability, and her unexpected appearance on “Saturday Night Live” two weeks ago garnered critical acclaim and introduced her to a larger audience.
The sportswear juggernaut’s dedication is demonstrated by the rumored eight-year contract. At 22, Clark has the potential to play in the WNBA for more than ten years. She may also be selected for the American squads competing in the Olympics in Paris this year, Los Angeles in 2028, and Brisbane, Australia, in 2032.
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