Nike Criticism Amplified by National Analyst After Caitlin Clark’s Boyfriend Highlights Brand’s $28 Million Fumble

The time in the third quarter was running out, Clark knew she was being subbed out as soon as the quarter ended. “I had to give the fans a little something. I told you I was going to pregame, so.” she said. Caitlin would do just that as she pulled up from the deep, knocking down a jumper reminiscent of her record-breaking shot that took her atop the NCAAW scoring list. The Carver-Hawkeye Arena were witness to a special game on Sunday. The first exhibition showdown to be nationally televised, the excitement of the fans shone through as they packed the arena 90 minutes prior to tip-off. It was her first time returning to Iowa since joining the WNBA, and Clark got the homecoming any hero deserves.

But while the Iowa fans reached the Carver-Hawkeye well in advance, there was someone who did not show up.

The event, which was bound to be a glorious night for the face of women’s basketball, was marred by the absence of Nike, who also happens to be Clark’s biggest sponsor with a $28 million deal in place. Although discontent was the common sentiment across the internet, the most prominent one came from Clark’s partner, Connor McCaffrey, who took a subtle dig. The Butler assistant coach retweeted a sarcastic post from X user @caitisland that read: “.@Nike yall don’t got internet or what?”

There was no shoutout or marketing to uplift their athlete by Nike, and it did not go unnoticed. While McCaffery called it out on one end, analyst Rachel DeMita expanded on it on her podcast. “Nike seems to be continuing to fumble the bag when it comes to Caitlin,” she said. But while the brand failed to show up, someone else hopped on the opportunity.

Gatorade, a brand partnership that Clark called “dream come true,” did not hesitate to celebrate their athlete. The sports drink brand tweeted, “Real home court advantage, Welcome back to Iowa @caitlinclark22.” posting a graphic of the Fever guard’s return. Only days ago, the energy drink brand also released an ad starring the Fever icon and made available the limited edition Gatorade bottles featuring her across Iowa stores.

Nike, on the other hand, has been rather quiet. Given the fanfare, it was just the opportunity for the brand to capitalize on it. More so, considering the thrill of the WNBA and its pop up merch stores aren’t a common occurrence here, as fans in the city do not have a franchise of their own. One of Stephanie White’s observation hits home here. “Oftentimes, it’s difficult for fans to get to a WNBA city, and we have great college basketball fan bases throughout the country that deserve an opportunity to see these women doing what they do at the highest level.”

The talks of her signature shoe aside, this was another miss by Nike. The distaste is only growing and the brand signals no efforts. Rachel DeMita points it out again. “The merch is very limited that they put out for Caitlin Clark. And a lot of fans are wondering why. People want to buy Caitlin Clark things. And they especially want to buy Caitlin Clark Nike things.” she said. While Clark does have her own edition of the Kobe 5 Protro dropping on the June 1st, Rachel believes Nike’s delay with Clark’s signature sneaker is losing them money.

Well, they better act fast, because this isn’t the first time fans have been disappointed by the brand over their response towards an athlete and the outcome of it wasn’t very pleasant. 

Nike fumbled another shooter

While Nike Basketball has been home to the elite athletes across the NBA & the W, the one star they still lose sleep over now has a lifetime deal with Under Armour. Before Warriors star Stephen Curry signed with Under Armour in 2013, he was signed to Nike. But in a meeting where his named was mispronounced by the officials and the presentation was one originally made for Kevin Durant, Curry decided against re-signing with the brand.

Nike’s offer reportedly was significantly lower than what Under Armour put forth. Moreover, there went around a word that the global brand did not view Curry as a top-tier athlete who warranted a signature shoe and a central role in their marketing. They were already heavily invested in stars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant. This move is widely considered one of the biggest misses in sports endorsement history for Nike.

While the fact that her jersey sales were only second to Steph in 2024 should be enough on its own, it seems Nike still hasn’t comprehended Clark’s gravity. The star who has drawn crowds wherever she set foot, continues to bring that effect to the WNBA. Although Clark’s love for Nike has been visible in her choice of sneakers since her days in Iowa, such incidents can stir the pot. DeMita also believes that while Clark’s deal is the biggest in women’s basketball, it still isn’t enough. “The deal that Nike put on the table for Caitlin Clark. It seems like she is severely underpaid in this deal. For the type of motion that she is bringing to the WNBA.” said the National Analyst. 

Although it is not known if Nike would be releasing a statement responding to this lapse in judgement, one thing is for sure. They need to get their ducks in order at the earliest. If they don’t, they might fumble on the greatest shooter of all time again. Only this time it will be in the women’s league.