The 2026 WNBA season has barely finished, yet Caitlin Clark has already started commanding headlines this offseason. While the Indiana Fever are currently busy in an upstairs shakeup following the exits of team president Kelly Krauskopf and general manager Amber Cox, Clark continues to expand her off-court portfolio. First, adding writer to her resume after releasing her very own picture book for children called EXTRAordinary! A Little EXTRA to Reach BIG Dreams!
Now, she partners with a major sports retailer in a never-before-seen deal to bring her brand to fans across the globe.
"DICK'S Sporting Goods has signed Caitlin Clark to a multi-year deal as a brand partner — a first for the company. She will collaborate with Dick's and Foot Locker on national/global campaigns, promotions, community programming & more," Indiana Fever beat reporter Scott Agness wrote on X
.
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This exclusive multi-year partnership marks the first time either DICK'S or FootLocker has signed an athlete as a brand partner.
"DICK'S Sporting Goods was always a stop before the start of any sports season when I was growing up. Being the first ever brand partner for both them and Foot Locker is a really special full-circle moment. Both brands have deep roots in sport, basketball and sneaker culture, and have strong connections with fans in the U.S. and around the world." Clark said in a press release.
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While it is a historic deal, it should come as little surprise considering the demand for the Fever star's merchandise. Hours after being drafted No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark's No. 22 Indiana Fever jersey broke the record for the highest-grossing and fastest-selling draft-night merchandise for any draft pick across all professional sports, surpassing the previous record set by Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence in 2021.
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Clark's appeal didn't extinguish in her debut season. In fact, entering her third season after playing just 13 games in her second year, Clark once again set records. According to USA Today's Megan L. Hall in May, Clark officially surpassed LeBron James on the jersey sales list over the last two years. Her overall jersey sales were also more than Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama, and only behind the Golden State Warriors' Steph Curry.
Coming to Clark's shoe sales, it's the same story. According to Nike CEO Elliot Hill, the 24-year-old's signature Nike Caitlin 1 line enjoyed the most successful women's basketball signature shoe release in Nike history. Within hours of release, the initial two colorways of the Caitlin 1 sold out on Nike's official website and were reselling for almost double the $140 retail price on sites like eBay. Before her signature line, the Fever star had multiple collaborations with the Nike Kobe PE 6, all of which sold like hotcakes.
"Caitlin has an incredible ability to inspire, and as an athlete whose love of sports extends beyond basketball to golf, football, soccer, baseball, softball and more, she connects with fans across every part of our business." Ed Stack, executive chairman at DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc., said in a press release.
"Caitlin has had an extraordinary impact on the game of basketball, not only through her talent and star power, but through the countless young girls and boys she has inspired to play the sports that they love, stay in the game and become fans of sport," Emily Silver, chief marketing, eCommerce and athlete experience officer at DICK'S, said in a press release.
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In just three years as a pro, Caitlin Clark has already reached unsurmountable heights both on and off the court, and this latest partnership is another reflection of her growing influence and marketability, further cementing her status as one of the biggest names not just in women's basketball, but in sports.
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