Caitlin Clark continues to have a meteoric rise in the national and international spotlight. She was selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft and has since been working towards a huge endorsement deal with Nike just days after walking the stage at the draft.
The deal with Nike is not set in stone just yet, and Clark has received multiple offers from other sponsorships. Even Ice Cube offered the superstar a record $5 million to come play for the Big 3 basketball league. Another big name who attempted to lure Clark was NBA superstar Steph Curry. Curry owns the Curry Brand, which is a standalone brand with Under Armour.
The Athletic reported that Curry was in the meeting with Clark, as he was attempting to recruit Clark to Under Armour. Despite his efforts, the No. 1 overall pick is destined for Nike. Her deal will reportedly be for an excess of $20 million, including bonuses, and her own signature shoe.
It makes perfect sense that Curry was in the meeting and attempting to convince his young counterpart to sign with Under Armour. He was one of the biggest stars when entering the NBA and still remains so, and could provide plenty of mentorship on how she is meant to handle this level of stardom. She does appear to be handling her stardom fine, even with the “Clark Effect” making its way through the news.
The “Clark Effect” may be a new term coined about her impact on basketball, but it is very real. A report from the Common Sense Institute by way of corridorbusiness.com indicates that Iowa’s economy was boosted by a reported $82.5 million because of Clark.
Even the Las Vegas Aces moved their July 2 matchup against the Indiana Fever to the T-Mobile Arena, which holds 8,000 more seats than their normal Michelob ULTRA Arena, which holds 12,000. The assumption is Clark will play for sell-out crowds, and her current trajectory in the national spotlight is on its way to proving this move by the Aces is the correct one.
According to Spotrac’x X page, Clark will earn $338,056 over four years with the Fever. While that amount seems far too low for someone as popular as Clark, with this proposed Nike deal awaiting her signature, she will be a multi-millionaire.
Now, we wonder what Curry and Under Armour initially offered her, for her to pass on that to be in the process of accepting this Nike deal. Negotiations are always a part of business, and her Nike deal has yet to be finalized. This could mean that Under Armour could come back and offer an even higher deal.
This is just speculation, but Clark could find herself in a bidding war with rival companies wanting to sign her. The bottom line is sportswear companies know how lucrative a deal with the Fever star could be for all parties involved.