<\/p>\n
\n\tNEW YORK \u2014 Caitlin Clark needs to work on her putting, but \u2014 no surprise \u2014 she\u2019s pretty good at Pop-A-Shot.<\/p>\n
\n\tIn an event Wednesday morning revealing her as the first brand partner of Dick\u2019s Sporting Goods and , the WNBA star tried to sink a few putts on a simulator before demonstrating her expertise at the arcade basketball shooting game.<\/p>\n
\n\tPrior to the athletic competition, where Clark took on Dick\u2019s executive chairman Ed Stack on the putting green and some media guests in the Pop-A-Shot, Clark said the new partnership was especially meaningful to her because of her long relationship with Dick\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cAs a young kid, that\u2019s where I went and got every sporting good that I possibly imagine,\u201d she said. \u201cI probably spent so much of [my parents\u2019] money, whether it was a new softball glove, or a new tennis racket, or a new pair of basketball shoes. That was one of my favorite moments, especially during the wintertime, going to pick out my new favorite basketball shoes that I got to play in. So I\u2019m just really honored and excited to work with the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tShe said the new deal will also allow her to connect more closely with her fans from around the world who can shop Dick\u2019s or Foot Locker for the Caitlin Clark basketball from Wilson or her signature shoes from Nike. \u201cOur vision is to connect with the greatest amount of people that we possibly can, whether that\u2019s here in the United States or overseas, and I think Dick\u2019s is the right partner to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tStack said he considers Clark to be \u201can inspiration\u201d to youth, particularly young girls. \u201cOne of the things that we\u2019ve always felt at Dick\u2019s is that sports changes lives, and with what Caitlin\u2019s done and is doing, she\u2019s definitely changing lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tHe pointed to her nonprofit, the Caitlin Clark Foundation, whose goal is to improve the lives of youth through education, nutrition and sports \u2014 a mission that is similar to that of Dick\u2019s charitable arm, Sports Matter. \u201cThe two things we really do with our kids is give them the ability to go somewhere to belong, and you can do that through sports,\u201d Stack said. \u201cSo it\u2019s pretty symbiotic between what Caitlin and her team wants to do and what our team wants to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAnd research has shown that kids who play sports tend to stay in school, he added. \u201cTheir sport team keeps them motivated,\u201d and their coaches serve as mentors \u201cwho keep them off academic probation and make sure they\u2019re doing their homework.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAnd the new relationship with Clark will help the companies further that work. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t have a better ambassador who not only transcends just basketball, but all sports,\u201d Stack said.<\/p>\n
\n\tUnder the terms of the deal revealed Wednesday, Dick\u2019s and Foot Locker will collaborate with Clark on national and global campaigns; custom promotions supporting her signature footwear, apparel and product lines; retail and digital experiences; fan activations; appearances, and community programming.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re 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\u2019s and Foot Locker,\u201d said Stack. \u201cCaitlin 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. This partnership offers new ways to come together around a shared passion for sport, and the possibilities it creates.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cCaitlin 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,\u201d said Emily Silver, chief marketing, e-commerce and athlete experience officer of Dick\u2019s. \u201cThat impact is deeply connected to what we believe at Dick\u2019s: sports can build confidence, create opportunity and change lives. We\u2019re proud to partner with an athlete who is helping a new generation see what\u2019s possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cCaitlin\u2019s influence reaches far beyond the court. She has captivated fans, inspired a new generation and brought new energy to the game,\u201d said Brett O\u2019Brien, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Foot Locker. \u201cFoot Locker has always been the home for basketball, connecting fans with the athletes, products and moments that move the game forward across the globe. Our partnership with Caitlin builds on that commitment, creating new opportunities to bring fans closer to the sport and celebrate the culture surrounding it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tClark, who now plays for the Indiana Fever, helped popularize women\u2019s basketball during her college years at the University of Iowa with her three-point shooting skill. She was signed to an NIL deal with Nike in 2022 while she was still in school and, after she turned pro, inked an eight-year, $28 million contract with the company, the largest ever for a women\u2019s basketball player. Her signature shoe, the Nike Caitlin 1, debuted on Oct. 1, along with a small collection of apparel that sports her interlocking CC logo on T-shirts, hoodies, shorts and fleece sweatpants.<\/p>\n
\n\tAt the event on Wednesday, Clark said that her experience in sports has resulted in the creation of \u201clifelong relationships,\u201d whether that\u2019s the teammates she played with in high school or her coaches.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI loved team sports way more than individual sports because there\u2019s some days where it just doesn\u2019t go your way,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s how it is in basketball. I think that\u2019s how it is in life. And you have these all these people around you to help pick you up and help lift you up.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tShe pointed to her coach on the Iowa Hawkeyes, Lisa Bluder, as \u201cone of the most impactful people that I\u2019ve had in my sports journey.\u201d And although Clark was clearly the star of the team, Bluder treated all the players the same, a philosophy that can be applied to all things in life. \u201cEverybody should be valued, and everybody kind of had a seat at the table,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe formal part of the event ended with Clark and Stack talking golf. The basketball star said she needs to spend more time practicing her putting while Stack said he struggles with his short game, primarily chipping. But they both picked Pebble Beach as one of their dream courses.<\/p>\n
\n\tStack said if he had only one more round left to play in his life, it would be a 65-degree, blue sky day at Pebble. \u201cAnd if it\u2019s my last round, I\u2019m going to walk very slowly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tClark interjected: \u201cYou don\u2019t like the golf cart? That\u2019s not going to go well for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
#Caitlin #Clark #Partners #Dicks #Sporting #Goods #Foot #Locker #GameChanging #Collaboration<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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