Caitlin Clark’s popularity has skyrocketed beyond the WNBA, making Fever’s games more popular on national TV than some NBA teams like the 76ers and Spurs.
Clark’s Impact and Nike’s Plans:
Fever’s games also saw higher attendance numbers (17,055) compared to at least five NBA teams, including the Pacers (16,528). Usually, when athletes become as famous as Clark, they get their own signature shoes from their brands. But for Clark, Nike hasn’t released her merchandise yet.
According to insider Ethan Strauss, Clark might not get her signature shoe until the 2026-27 season because Nike plans to release a sneaker for MVP A’ja Wilson first. Strauss mentioned that Nike is more focused on avoiding backlash than creating buzz like they used to. He wrote:
“Based on conversations with people in the know, it indeed has something to do with WNBA MVP and Nike athlete A’ja Wilson,” Strauss wrote. “But beyond Wilson, it’s about a culture at the company that’s more concerned with quelling noise rather than making it, as Nike once used to.”
Nike fears criticism if they launch Clarkโs shoe before Wilsonโs since Wilson has three MVP awards and two WNBA titles. However, Strauss pointed out that rookies like LeBron James had signature shoes early in their careers too.
Contracts and Future Releases:
Clark signed an eight-year deal with Nike after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Fever this year. The Wall Street Journal estimated this deal around $28 million over eight years. Although it was confirmed she would get her own shoe, no timeline was provided.
On the other hand, Aces star Wilson announced in 2023 that Nike started working on her signature shoe. Earlier this year, Nike confirmed it would launch in spring 2025.
Both players are now competing in the WNBA playoffs. While Wilson’s Aces advanced to the semifinals by sweeping the Storm on Tuesday night, Clarkโs Fever faces a must-win game against the Sun on Wednesday after losing Game 1 of their first-round series last Sunday.
Fans think it’s about time Caitlin gets her own shoe!
