Caitlin Clark put off the WNBA to return for her senior season at Iowa. Boardroom breaks down how she’s using NIL to partner with big brands.
If you don’t know Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark by now, you just aren’t paying attention.
The reigning National Player of the Year has been dominant on the court again this season, averaging 32.3 points, 8.7 assists, and 7.3 rebounds per game while leading Iowa to a 27-4 record and a top-5 ranking in the country. All of this after she earned unanimous All-American honors while putting up 27.8 points, 8.6 assists, and 7.1 rebounds per game last year.
Oh, and she also led Iowa to last year’s national title game, where the Hawkeyes fell to Angel Reese and LSU. As she continues through her last year at Iowa, she became the fastest NCAA D-1 player to eclipse 3,000 points in just 110 games and would go on to break Kelsey Plum’s old NCAA women’s basketball record for most career points scored. Not satisfied, Clark went on to break the all-time NCAA career scoring record, previously held by Pete Maravich, over the weekend against No. 2 Ohio State on Senior Night. She finished the game with 35 points en route to leading the Hawkeyes to victory in the regular season finale.
Clark put her WNBA aspirations on hold to return for her senior season in Iowa City, and with a year of eligibility remaining due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many wondered if she would return to college for one more year. But the star hooper officially let the world know her intentions of heading to the WNBA after this season on Feb. 29, just days ahead of her final regular season game.
Clark is leaving, but not before she’s been able to take full advantage in the name, image, and likeness (NIL) space through various partnerships and deals with some of the biggest brands out there. She signed on with Excel Sports Management to secure representation as she wades through a bevy of deals off the court.
Let’s break it down.
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Caitlin Clark NIL Market Value
All data via On3.com’s NIL rankings as of March 4, 2023.
Women’s College Basketball NIL rank: 1
Overall NIL rank: 4
Annual Valuation: $3,100,000
10-week high: $3,100,000
10-week low: $910,000
Total followers: 1.3 million (1M on Instagram, 186K on X, 159K on TikTok)
The above monetary figures are via On3’s NIL Valuation, a proprietary algorithm that “establishes the overall NIL market and projected 12-month growth rate by measuring two categories, Brand Value Index and Roster Value Index.”
Notable Caitlin Clark NIL Deals
Gatorade
Having eclipsed the 3,000 point mark, Clark joins an iconic club of elite athletes who serve as an ambassador for the legacy brand. The Iowa standout is the fourth college athlete inked by Gatorade, joining UConn hoops phenom Paige Bueckers, Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, and Penn State running back Nick Singleton.
For Clark, the partnership was a natural one. She was selected as the Gatorade High School Player of the Year two times during her pre-college career. However, it’s also more than just bragging rights. Gatorade will make a commitment of $22,000 to the Caitlin Clark Foundation as part of its broader Equity in Sport initiative.
State Farm
After making history during March Madness, Clark made history as State Farm’s first collegiate athlete and the first female on the company’s roster. Clark is in good company, as State Farm also sponsors Patrick Mahomes and Chris Paul.
“Welcoming Caitlin Clark to our team expands and strengthens our ability to positively impact communities, engage with audiences in meaningful ways, and reinforces our commitment to raising the visibility of women in sports. As a fellow Good Neighbor, we can’t wait to drive progress forward together with Caitlin for years to come,” State Farm Chief Marketing Officer Kristyn Cook said in a statement.
Buick
Ahead of Iowa’s run to the national title last season, Buick tapped women’s college basketball’s best players for its “See Her Greatness” campaign. In addition to Clark, Stanford‘s Cameron Brink, South Carolina‘s Aliyah Boston, UConn‘s Azzi Fudd, and UCLA‘s Kiki Rice also partnered with Buick.
Nike
Whenever a major brand seems to target basketball’s elite for an NIL partnership, Clark always seems to be involved. Last year, Nike teamed up with Clark, Bronny James, DJ Wagner, JuJu Watkins, and Haley Jones on long-term deals.
“I grew up watching Nike athletes across all sports play their game,” Clark said. “They have inspired me to work hard and make a difference. I’m humbled to be part of this first Nike basketball class and passionate about inspiring the next.”
Other notable deals: Topps, Iowa Cubs, H&R Block
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