Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy believes Caitlin Clark’s value is much higher than what her recent historic deal with Nike indicates.
In fact, he’s gone so far as to suggest Clark’s worth to the company is almost three times as high as her reported eight-year, $28 million deal.
Portnoy postulates she should have been paid somewhere in the realm of $80 million over the same term and hopes she has a way out of the contract when “she blows through” it.
“If people want to complain about Caitlin Clark getting screwed complain about this. 8-year 28 million deal is STEALING,” he wrote on X.
“8 years 80 million min is her worth and that’s still (probably) too cheap. I hope she has an early opt-out if they don’t pay up when she blows through this deal.”
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Portnoy: Caitlin Clark Nike Deal ‘Too Cheap’
On the topic of Caitlin Clark and her Nike deal, he might very well be right. $3.5 million sure seems like chump change for Philip Knight and company.
When challenged as to who exactly would buy the shoes – Clark’s deal includes a signature shoe – Portnoy suggested both men and women would.
He also blindsided Devin Booker in the process.
“Men would 100% buy her sneakers. All girls who play hoop(s) will,” he insists. “Devin Booker got 5 years 50 million. Caitlin is 100x the Star and impact.”
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Is He Right?
Booker, to be sure, is a former first-round draft pick and a four-time NBA All-Star. He is a draw.
What Portnoy appears to be suggesting, however, is that Caitlin Clark is a once-in-a-generation talent that will draw unprecedented numbers of eyeballs to the WNBA game.
No, she’s not going to singularly sell tickets at the same level as her male counterparts. But her impact on the league and women’s basketball in general may be, as Portnoy states, much higher.
As for male players wearing the shoes? It’s not as far-fetched as you might think.
According to an ESPN report earlier this month, 77 NBA players have laced up a pair of Sabrina 1s this season. The shoe is a signature design from New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu.
And while Portnoy believes Nike low-balled Caitlin Clark, they provided her the deal with the most overall value.
Puma bowed out, Adidas came in at half the annual rate, and Under Armour wouldn’t commit to more than 4 years.
