5 days ago
Is Nike failing Caitlin Clark? Former insider call out brand for mishandling WNBA star
Caitlin Clark. Image via: Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever star and arguably the most influential figure in women's basketball today, is at the center of growing criticism aimed at Nike. In April 2024, The sportswear giant signed Clark to a landmark eight-year, $28 million endorsement deal shortly after she was selected as the No.
1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. But more than a year later, many, including former insiders, believe Nike has fallen far short of fully leveraging her unprecedented star power.
Despite her fame, Clark has yet to receive a signature shoe. Over a year into the partnership, she has only received Player Exclusive (PE) sneakers from Nike's Kobe series. She has not been given a signature sneaker line or branded merchandise, marketing tools that are typically awarded to less accomplished male athletes.
While she has appeared on national billboards and in a Super Bowl commercial, fans and insiders alike are questioning why Nike is holding back.
In June 2024, when asked when her first signature shoe might arrive, Clark told reporters:
'I don't make those decisions so you'll have to wait and see.'
At the time, she had not yet earned WNBA Rookie of the Year honors, which she would go on to receive in October 2024.
Ex-marketing director speaks out
The loudest critique came this week from Jordan Rogers, a former Brand Marketing Director for Nike Basketball, who spent over a decade at the company.
In a TikTok video, Rogers accused Nike of mishandling Clark's immense marketability.
He questioned the disparity between Nike's treatment of male and female athletes and how Clark, arguably the most culturally significant player since Jordan, hasn't received the same investment.
"You have the single biggest needle mover in all of American sports since
Michael Jordan
, and you have somehow convinced yourself that you need to slow-play this?" Rogers said.
He continued, "This seems like you have convinced yourself that this needs to be an either/or conversation. And we never have an either/or conversation in the men's sports , you have like 10 signature athletes [in the NBA], half of them don't deserve a signature shoe."
Rogers further speculated that political backlash surrounding Clark may be making Nike hesitant to go all-in. "I am so confused as to why you wouldn't be doing bigger campaigns with [Clark]...
One of the best explanations I can come up with is that you are wringing your hands and afraid to enter into this politically divisive conversation that has been co-opted by the media and pundits," he said.
He ended his message to Nike with a plea: "You have the unicorn, the chosen one, the one who everyone wants to hear from, and you are just sitting around... Please, for the love of God, figure something out."
Comparisons and fan frustration
Clark's influence is undeniable.
During her college career at Iowa, she played in two of the most-watched women's college basketball games in history. Her 2024 Elite Eight game against LSU drew 16 million viewers. Her presence at the WNBA Draft that year attracted a record 2.4 million viewers. In the WNBA, she has already claimed Rookie of the Year honors and is among the frontrunners for MVP this season.
Yet, despite being one of the league's biggest stars, Clark lacks something her rookie classmate Angel Reese has secured: a signature shoe.
Reese, who plays for the Chicago Sky, is set to release her own signature sneaker with Reebok on June 4.
Fans have expressed confusion and disappointment, asking why Nike hasn't moved quicker to give Clark her own line , especially given her unmatched visibility and performance.
Others are doing it better
R
ogers praised other brands , including Gatorade, State Farm, and Wilson , for doing a better job of embracing Clark's commercial appeal.
'Gatorade, State Farm and Wilson have all done a much better job in maximizing the value of the WNBA's 'unicorn' superstar,' he added.
Fans have become increasingly vocal online, questioning Nike's apparent hesitation to give Clark her own brand line. Rogers' criticism only added to a growing sense of frustration.
"I am so confused as to how you would be so invested in the WNBA for several years and you've been doing great work trying to elevate and uplift that league and many of the athletes," he said.
As Nike faces mounting public pressure, the question remains: will they shift gears and give Clark the platform her popularity clearly demands? For now, all eyes, and expectations, remain on the brand to step up.
