Iowa women’s basketball guard Caitlin Clark signed an NIL deal with Gatorade, first reported by Pete Nakos of On3.
The 2023 National Player of the Year is the second collegiate basketball player to sign with Gatorade, joining UConn guard Paige Bueckers. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Penn State running back Nick Singleton have also worked with Gatorade recently.
As part of the deal, Gatorade will donate $22,000 to the Caitlin Clark Foundation, whose mission is to “uplift and improve the lives of youth and their communities through education, nutrition, and sport.”
Clark will appear in social media advertisements for Gatorade, the first being a commercial titled “You Can Too.” In the ad, Clark talks about once being that “little Iowa girl” and encourages other young athletes to dream big.
“At Gatorade, we take pride in our elite athlete roster and have had the privilege of fueling some of the greatest athletes of all time,” Global Head of Sports Marketing at Gatorade Jeff Kearney said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be a part of Caitlin’s journey to greatness early in her career and look forward to building upon the incredible impact she’s already made.”
This is Clark’s first major deal since signing with Excel Sports Management on Oct. 24. The agency oversees all brand-building efforts for Iowa’s all-time leading scorer. The agency represents other prominent athletes like Tiger Woods, Peyton and Eli Manning, Derek Jeter, and Nikola Jokić.
Clark, who recently became the 15th NCAA women’s basketball player to eclipse 3,000 points in a career, has partnerships with other big companies like Nike, State Farm, Buick, Bose, Goldman Sachs, H&R Block, Topps, and the Midwest grocery store chain, Hy-Vee.
The fourth year ranks 10th on the all-time NCAA women’s basketball scoring list and is on track to break record holder Kelsey Plum’s mark (3,527) this season.
Clark averages 29.6 points a game, shooting 45.9 percent overall and 36.8 percent from behind the arc. She is the only Division I college basketball player, men’s or women’s, to record 3,000+ points, 750+ rebounds, and 750+ assists in a career.
“This partnership is special because not only does Gatorade fuel the best athletes in the game, but they’re also committed to leading by example and giving back, which is what I strive to do every day,” Clark said in a release. “I’m honored to join such an iconic brand that has some of the most elite athletes in sport on their roster and can’t wait for what’s ahead.”
