Report: Caitlin Clark to receive $28 million endorsement deal with Nike, and her own signature shoe
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Former Iowa All-America guard Caitlin Clark is now breaking records off the court with her financial earning power.
Clark is expected to sign an eight-year, $28 million endorsement deal with Nike, and she will also receive her own signature shoe, according to an article posted Tuesday by ESPN.
The new deal would be the richest sponsorship contract for a women’s basketball player.
Clark is in this position after having a record-breaking career with the Iowa women’s basketball team, which she led to the NCAA national championship game in each of the past two seasons.
The West Des Moines native also finished her career as the NCAA all-time leading scorer for both men and women with 3,951 points.
She was then selected first overall in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever.
Clark reportedly received offers of $16 million over four years from Under Armour and $6 million over four years with adidas, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Both offers also reportedly included her own signature shoe.
Puma also showed interest but reportedly walked away when told the bidding would start at $3 million.
Clark already has a long list of endorsement deals that she started to compile while still in college with companies that include State Farm, Gatorade, Buick, Panini, Hy-Vee, H&R Block and Goldman Sachs among others.
She also was offered $5 million by rap mogul/actor Ice Cube to participate in his BIG3 basketball league this summer. News of the offer broke during the NCAA Tournament.
Clark hasn’t said whether she will accept the offer.
There was speculation Clark would lose endorsement money by leaving college, but that was obviously wrong as her brand continues to soar as she prepares to launch her WNBA career.
Clark also didn’t receive money from the Iowa Swarm Collective in college because she had her own brand and platform to raise NIL money.
Clark has become a sports phenomenon and a cultural icon as fans from the across the nation have become captivated by her success.
She was named the winner of the Sullivan Award on Tuesday, becoming the first two-time winner of the award in its 94-year history.
The Iowa women also set multiple television viewership records during this most recent postseason, and now the Indiana Fever will have 32 of its 36 games televised this season after having just one game televised last season.
That is yet another example of the Caitlin Clark effect.