Caitlin Clark Signs Major Endorsement Deal With Dick’s and Foot Locker

Dick’s Sporting Goods has signed Caitlin Clark as its first-ever brand partner.

The multi-year deal also includes Foot Locker.

The announcement was made this week by the Pittsburgh-based retailer.

Clark plays guard for the Indiana Fever in the WNBA.

The Fever finished second in the Eastern Conference this season.

“Dick’s Sporting Goods was always a stop before the start of any sports season when I was growing up,” Clark said in the announcement.

“Being the first ever brand partner for both them and Foot Locker is a really special full-circle moment.”

She added that 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.”

The partnership will connect Clark’s signature footwear, apparel and product lines at Nike with fans worldwide.

Clark is an Iowa basketball alumna.

She won the WNBA Rookie of the Year award in 2024.

Ed Stack, executive chairman of Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc., commented on the deal.

“We’re excited to partner with Caitlin because we see the same opportunity to build on the energy around basketball and bring more people closer to the game through Dick’s and Foot Locker,” Stack said.

“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.”

The partnership includes collaborations on national and global campaigns.

It also includes custom promotions, retail and digital experiences, fan activations, appearances, and community programming.

Emily Silver, chief marketing and eCommerce & athlete experience officer at Dick’s, explained why the company chose Clark.

“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,” Silver said.

“That impact is deeply connected to what we believe at Dick’s: sports can build confidence, create opportunity and change lives.”

“We’re proud to partner with an athlete who is helping a new generation see what’s possible.”

Clark’s commercial value has soared since entering the WNBA.

When the Indiana Fever selected her first overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, she signed a four-year rookie contract worth $338,056.

That is a relatively modest sum for a player who already commanded massive attention from her college career at Iowa.

Less than two years later, collectors have spent far more on individual pieces of Clark memorabilia.

In March 2025, a one-of-one 2024 Panini Prizm WNBA Signatures Gold Vinyl card sold for $366,000 at auction through Goldin.

The card featured Clark’s autograph and carried a perfect PSA 10 grade.

That sale broke the previous women’s sports card record of $266,400, set by a Serena Williams rookie card in 2022.

That record lasted only four months.

In July 2025, a 2024 Panini Flawless Platinum Rookie Logowoman Patch card sold for $660,000 during the Fanatics Collect July Premier Auction.

The card included Clark’s autograph along with the handwritten message “769 pts and counting,” referencing the scoring record she set during her debut WNBA season.

The auction price of $660,000 nearly doubled the total value of her original four-year rookie contract.

To put the disparity in perspective: Clark earned $78,066 from her Indiana Fever salary in 2025.

The single trading card sold for more than eight times that annual playing salary.

Clark’s marketability extends well beyond trading cards.

Earlier this week, she appeared on Kylie Kelce’s podcast “Not Gonna Lie,” recorded on October 29 during Game 6 of the WNBA Finals.

On the podcast, Clark praised the Golden State Valkyries for reaching the Finals in just their second season.

“I think like the best part about this final series is that the Valkyries are in it because like they’ve been a franchise for two years,” Clark said.

“I don’t think people realize how ridiculous that is that they’ve been able to put together a roster and run an organization as well as they have.”

She recalled Valkyries owner Joe Lacob’s pledge from when the team was announced.

“But I remember their owner, when they were going through… their announcement of becoming a team, he literally said on stage, ‘We’re going to win a championship in five years or less,’” Clark said.

“And I was like, ‘Oh, manifesting at its finest.’ I was like, ‘I love that.’”

Two days after the podcast taping, the Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in Game 7 at Chase Center to win the championship.

Clark noted the irony: “And here we are two years later. I’m like, ‘Well, do I love that?’ Because I’m not playing, but they are. But that’s still awesome. Good for them. But no, it’s been cool.”

The Indiana Fever’s season ended in the first round against the Las Vegas Aces.

Fans reacted strongly to Clark’s comments.

One fan wrote, “Caitlin dog whistling to the Valkyries front office and Fever front office at the same time.”

Others made direct recruitment pitches.

“Hi, Caitlin. The Bay Area is great for Iowans, we do really well here,” one fan wrote.

“And the Hawkeyes are on a lot. Weather is September year-round.”

Another fan directed a message at the Valkyries franchise: “Get her to the Bay yesterday, Valks.”

A third fan made the case in merchandise terms: “Clark Valkyries jersey would feed families here.”

The Dick’s and Foot Locker partnership represents a different kind of milestone.

It is not a team deal or a league deal.

It is a direct endorsement partnership with two of the largest athletic retailers in the United States.

Dick’s Sporting Goods operates more than 850 stores nationwide.

Foot Locker operates over 2,700 stores globally.

Together, the two retailers give Clark an unprecedented platform for a WNBA player.

The partnership also ties directly into Clark’s existing relationship with Nike.

Her signature footwear, apparel and product lines at Nike will now reach fans through both Dick’s and Foot Locker stores and online channels.

This creates a three-way commercial bridge between a superstar athlete, a major manufacturer, and two dominant retailers.

Industry observers note that such comprehensive retail partnerships are rare for any athlete, let alone a second-year WNBA player.

The deal signals that major corporations see Clark’s value as extending well beyond basketball.

As Stack noted, Clark’s love of sports “extends beyond basketball to golf, football, soccer, baseball, softball and more.”

That broad appeal makes her a marketing asset for the full range of products Dick’s and Foot Locker sell.

Silver emphasized the generational impact of Clark’s career.

“That impact is deeply connected to what we believe at Dick’s: sports can build confidence, create opportunity and change lives,” Silver said.

The partnership includes community programming, which suggests Clark will be involved in youth sports initiatives through both retailers.

Clark’s rise has been rapid.

She went from college superstar at Iowa to WNBA Rookie of the Year to the face of a new generation of women’s basketball.

Her games drew record television ratings during the 2024 and 2025 WNBA seasons.

Her presence in the league has been credited with increasing attendance, merchandise sales, and overall interest in the WNBA.

The Dick’s and Foot Locker deal is the latest and most tangible sign of that commercial impact.

It also highlights the gap between what the WNBA pays its stars and what the market values them at.

Clark’s rookie contract was worth $338,056 over four years.