Earlier this year, WNBA No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark signed a historic endorsement deal with Nike worth $28 million over the next eight years.
As part of the deal, the sports apparel giant agreed to design a signature shoe for the Indiana Fever guard.
Details regarding this upcoming shoe release have not yet been shared with the public. But according to a report from MarketWatch, Nike has a “big decision” to make when it comes to Clark’s signature shoe.
Nike could either make Clark’s shoe unisex, or design it as a women’s-focused product.
While making the shoe available in both men’s and women’s sizes would likely increase sales revenue, retail industry expert Matt Powell feels Nike should make a product better suited for a woman’s foot.
“I hope Clark’s shoe is made for a woman,” Powell said, via MarketWatch. “Many women’s performance basketball shoes are simply a sized-down men’s product.”
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
“Brands make very few women-specific basketball shoes. A woman’s foot is more triangular, forefoot to heel, and her arch tends to be higher than a man’s foot. A man’s foot tends to be more rectangular, and consequently, a shoe built for a man’s foot is really not right for a woman’s foot.”
Clark has brought unprecedented media and fan attention to the WNBA in her young professional career. As one of the league’s brightest upcoming stars, she’s inspired young fans everywhere — both female and male.
“Nike is never going to make any of this ($28 million) up in shoe sales. This is all about marketing and being associated with her, and sharing in her success,” Powell added.
“Nike could show real leadership in women’s basketball by making a shoe properly shaped for a woman’s foot.”
News
Caitlin Clark Admits Feeling ‘Weird’ Over WNBA Decision In Fever-Mystics
Caitlin Clark is not used to playing so early on gamedays, especially if it’s a weekday, which is why the WNBA’s schedule for Wednesday had her feeling out of her element. Nonetheless, it didn’t take away the fact that it was a…
Fever Fan’s Controversial Aliyah Boston Assertion Sparks Roasting
The Indiana Fever suffered a disappointing 89-84 defeat to the Washington Mystics on Wednesday. While rookie Caitlin Clark produced one of her best WNBA career performances to date, her partner in crime Aliyah Boston had one of her worst games of the season. The 2023 WNBA Rookie of…
ESPN Releases Official WNBA Rookie of the Year Rankings, The Results Will Surprise You
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the WNBA’s 2024 regular season is the ongoing Rookie of the Year Award race. This is because arguably the league’s biggest stars (Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark) are the two clear frontrunners for the award. With each…
ESPN Reveals How Caitlin Clark Must Improve to Win 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year Over Angel Reese
ESPN released their 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year rankings on Thursday morning. Considering that the race is basically between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese at this point, there was a lot of intrigue about which of them two would take the top spot; especially because…
Caitlin Clark’s Clear Comments After Fever Loss Incites Public Christie Sides Roasting
The Indiana Fever fell to 9-14 on the WNBA regular season after losing to the Washington Mystics at home on Wednesday. This loss was an especially disappointing one, considering that Fever rookie Caitlin Clark produced one of the best performances of her WNBA career thus…
Angel Reese Surprised Everyone With Her Response To Question About Playing On The Same Team As Arch-Rival Caitlin Clark
Angel Reese had a wholesome response after being asked about playing on the same team as Caitlin Clark, with both rookies selected as All-Stars this year. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese (Photos via Getty Images) The rivals have faced off three times…
End of content
No more pages to load