Imago
Sep 25, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks on during the first half against the Connecticut Sun during game two of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Imago
Sep 25, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks on during the first half against the Connecticut Sun during game two of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Caitlin Clark is Nike’s most recognizable athlete at the moment. It’s not surprising considering the amount of success she’s had over the last couple of years, and how she broke onto the WNBA scene. Clark broke records upon records both on and off the court. She signed a record-breaking eight year, $28 million contract with the footwear company in April last year. However, her time at Nike hasn’t been without issues.
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After the details of Caitlin Clark’s contract were announced, there was a lot of backlash. After hearing rumblings of a signature shoe being developed, fans were angry at Nike for neglecting MVP A’ja Wilson. The Aces star has been a Nike athlete for a lot longer than CC, but did not have a signature shoe. Not to mention, the matter of race and favoritism is very dangerous from brands like these.
As a result, the footwear company put the Caitlin Clark shoe on the back burner. They focused on the development of A’ja Wilson’s A’One, making sure it’s absolutely perfect. Soon enough, they launched the model with a tentative release date in the spring of 2025. Nike did, however, feature Caitlin Clark in their record-breaking Super Bowl advertisement, “So Win.” It was a 90 second commercial, focusing on concepts like determination and triumph particularly in women’s sports.
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The commercial did really well, and Nike saw a surge in online traffic and sales. However, fans weren’t quick to forget about the Indiana Fever star’s diminished role in the organization. Every time that Nike posts something about CC, fans speak up, and for good reason too.
Fans react to Nike’s Caitlin Clark tribute
After Nike posted a clip of the Indiana Fever star in the commercial, fans began getting upset. The decision to sideline Clark’s line of merchandise seemed a lot more political than business-oriented. One fan was outraged, calling out the brand on X, saying they were “stepping over a dollar to pickup a dime.”
Nike, stepping over a dollar to pickup a dime. Never let politics interfere with business, unless failure is your goal. Ask yourself, what would you do if you weren’t afraid?
— John raymond (@Johnray19451454) February 22, 2025
Similarly, another fan mocked the Nike commercial, saying that they could not win without the Fever star. “You can’t win. So win. @Nike you will never win, unless you release her merch and shoes. Just saying.”
One follower had an issue with the company’s lack of business acumen. “@Nike Can you at least release those Fever Kobe PEs? You’re literally leaving millions on the table not releasing Clark merch.” They said, frustrated beyond measure. The user was referencing player-only Kobe Protro 5s with Indiana Fever colors. They are meant to be launched this year, but no definite plan has been put out.
Other users had similar reactions. Some of them called out the advertising teams in Nike. “NIKE You’re so late! Your woke team making the ads sucks! If you want recognition you won’t get any! Your salary as a marketing team should be cut by half.” It was a fair point considering how popular CC has been over the last two years. The meteoric rise of the WNBA and Caitlin Clark’s rookie year coinciding were not sheer luck, after all.
One fan demanded that the shoe company start treating Caitlin Clark with the respect that she deserves. “Are you finally WAKING UP?! Stop being FRIGHTENED about your “target” clients and START promoting CC22 as she deserves… This IS the way!”
Written by
Edited by
Masaba Naqvi