In recent years, one of the most respected Nike executives, Sonny Vaccaro, has commented on Caitlin Clark’s deal with the sports supplier. Vaccaro feels that Clark missed out on a lucrative deal by not demanding the same treatment as the iconic Michael Jordan. As someone who was responsible for signing Jordan to a groundbreaking contract in the 1970s during his time at Nike, Vaccaro knows a thing or two about negotiating deals with athletes.
After leaving Nike, Vaccaro went on to work with Adidas and Reebok to grow their brands. He believes that Clark should have held out for a more comprehensive agreement that maximized her earnings potential. Vaccaro has been a vocal advocate for athlete rights and has spoken out on issues such as amateurism and NCAA policies regarding compensation for student-athletes.
Clark recently signed a contract worth an impressive $28 million over eight years with Nike, taking her up to the age of 30. This deal works out to $3.5 million per year and includes the creation of her own signature shoe, making it one of the biggest sports deals in the history of female sports. However, unlike Jordan, Clark does not have a royalty agreement with the shoes and will instead receive a fixed amount each year for the duration of the contract. Jordan’s arrangement, where he earned a percentage of each shoe sold, has made him one of the wealthiest individuals in the world.
