Caitlin Clark has clashed with a number of players this year, her fame and popularity not sitting well with some veterans. Not to mention her rivalry with Angel Reese, her MVP debate with A’ja Wilson (for a section of fans), her on-court heroics not always translating well. All this to say, the Indiana Fever guard had been under some serious pressure in her rookie season, but it’s not over yet.

When Nike finally signed the Iowa sensation to a long overdue deal in April 2024, her signature shoes were expected by sometime in 2025. It’s already October of 2024 and yet no update on her sneakers yet. Now, as Front Office Sports recently pointed out on X, Clark’s shoulders will be burdened with even more pressure as Nike, along with Adidas, is slowly losing it’s market in China.

The post reveals numbers for different brands in 2019 and compares them to 2023. In 2019, Nike had 25% sportswear market share in the country, while Adidas had 20%. By last year, Nike went up to 24% but Adidas took a huge drop to 10%. Now the interesting thing is that both sports apparel giants offered deals to Caitlin Clark.

For 8 years, the reigning Rookie of the Year has signed a new contract with $113 billion worth Nike for around $28 million. While it was the single-richest shoe deal in women’s basketball history, it still left something to be desired when compared to the NBA. It was a better renewal of No. 22’s NIL deal with the brand that was set to expire this year. Once her signature shoe line finally arrives, probably after A’ja Wilson’s, it’s sure to sell out massively.

But as Front Office Sports points out, Nike’s dominance in China is waning, with local and international competition like Anta, Li-Ning, and Xtep being the major influencers. What does that mean for Caitlin Clark’s deal? Somehow make her even more popular so that Nike has a chance of surviving in China in the next several years, living up to the massive deal she stands on the receiving end of.

Meanwhile, Adidas is being hit worse and even had to face fans’ wrath over their supposed offer to CC.

Adidas’ offer to Caitlin Clark paid her a pittance

The WNBA has long been part of the equal pay conversation but the league still had reasons to give regarding viewership. They would get paid according to how many people they brought in. Caitlin Clark has clearly changed that in her rookie season, and even before, when she gained national attention at Iowa. Now the league can slowly afford to pay players better but they still get more from endorsement deals. But apparently not when you’re signed to Adidas.

Bleacher Report revealed in an X post on April 24 all the different brand deals Clark had been offered before signing with Nike. Puma had said bidding would start at $3 million per year, Under Armour’s deal was $16 million for 4 years, while Adidas offered $6 million for 4 years, with a signature shoe included.

Logically, Under Armour would have paid more money than Nike but for less years. But what really raised the hackles of fans was Adidas, with many calling it disrespectful. But luckily for the Fever guard, Nike swooped in with a save. Now only if they would announce some news about Clark’s signature shoe line.