Sources reveal Caitlin Clark is close to signing lucrative endorsement deal with Nike

Fresh off of her selection at 1st overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Caitlin Clark is the talk of the town. A product of the Iowa Hawkeyes basketball program, Clark cemented herself as one of the all-time greats in her dominant four collegiate years. Now poised to be a face, if not the face of the WNBA, many eyes will be tuning in to see if Caitlin Clark can translate that same success at the next level. With this evergrowing rise in popularity lies lucrative endorsements offers and sponsorships.

Currently, Clark holds an impressive list of endorsements with brands and entities such as sports drink giant Gatorade, trading card manufacturer Panini America, insurance company State Farm, and Indianapolis-based financial platform Gainbridge.

Moreover, Clark became part of a five-student athlete class that signed NIL (Name, image, likeness) deals with Nike in October 2022. However, as part of the terms of a NIL deal, it is typically the path in which collegiate athletes can profit off an association with a brand while still enrolled in an institution. With her legendary Iowa days now behind her, Clark hit the open market as a free agent for her next sneaker and sportswear endeavors.

Reportedly, Under Armour and Adidas were two other brands that made enticing offers to the 22-year-old blossoming basketball star. Instead of jumping ship, Clark will remain with the dominant Nike brand, as sources have come out reporting on the well over $20 million deal plus additional incentives as part of her new terms.

Nike locked down Caitlin Clark to a new, lucrative deal that will only help her star power shine brighter.

With this brand-new, lucrative deal in place, it's nearly certain Caitlin Clark will receive a signature sneaker sooner rather than later. Nike has given signature sneakers to prominent female basketball players, with the most recent example being New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu and her Nike Sabrina 1 model. Ionescu was a promising star in her own right, and now Nike has another premier name on their hands with Caitlin Clark.

A prime example of Caitlin Clark's superstar power is her freshly-dropped Indiana Fever jersey nearly selling out in just an hour of being on sale. Clark's entry into the WNBA has turned the ticket market on its head, skyrocketing sales for Indiana Fever games and subsequent road games to unforeseen levels in the league's history.

The 2024 WNBA Draft also blew previous viewership records out of the water, drawing in 2.45 million viewers on ESPN and capping at a peak of 3.09 million, now standing atop the all-time most-viewed WNBA event in ESPN's history.

Put it simply, Caitlin Clark is a megastar in all facets of the term. We'll just have to wait for further details on the unveiling of a signature Caitlin Clark sneaker, but the eyes of the sports world will continue to be on her as her WNBA journey begins to unfold.