Dick's Sporting Goods Signs Caitlin Clark in First-Ever Athlete Brand Deal

Dick's Sporting Goods has signed WNBA star Caitlin Clark to a multi-year, exclusive deal — the first time either Dick's or Foot Locker has signed an athlete as a brand partner, the company announced last week.

The deal covers both banners. Dick's and Foot Locker will build national and international campaigns around Clark, promote her footwear, apparel and other product collections, and create retail and digital experiences plus fan events, appearances and other programming.

Why Caitlin Clark, and why now?

Foot Locker, which Dick's acquired in 2025, has spent the year leaning harder into basketball. This spring it unveiled a year-round basketball brand platform called "Hoops Lives Here" to reinforce its standing in basketball and sneaker culture.

Brett O'Brien, chief marketing officer at Foot Locker, said the retailer has always been synonymous with basketball and that the partnership fits that heritage.

"Caitlin's influence reaches far beyond the court. She has captivated fans, inspired a new generation, and brought new energy to the game," O'Brien said in a statement. Foot Locker connects "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."

Clark brings proven retail pull. Nike named her a signature athlete in August 2025 and debuted her custom logo. In September, Nike launched her namesake shoe, the Caitlin 1.

"Dick's Sporting Goods was always a stop before the start of any sports season when I was growing up," Clark said in a statement. "Being the first ever brand partner for both them and Foot Locker is a really special full-circle moment. Both brands have deep roots in sport, basketball and sneaker culture, and have strong connections with fans in the U.S. and around the world."

What does this change for Foot Locker's business?

The Clark deal lands while Foot Locker refreshes its product lineup and works through a sharp downturn at one of its anchor brands.

Recent moves include:

• A July agreement to integrate Salomon's women's and men's footwear into Foot Locker's assortment.
• Reebok's launch of its Question shoe exclusively at Foot Locker this month.

The urgency is real. The Jordan brand generates roughly a quarter of Foot Locker's revenue, and its sales have slid about 20% from the $8.7 billion it produced for Nike in fiscal year 2024.

The numbers tell the rest. In its Q2 earnings report, Dick's said Foot Locker's comparable sales fell 3.6% year over year. Dick's cut its full-year outlook for the chain and now expects comps to be flat or drop as much as 2%, versus prior guidance of 1.5% to 2% growth. Foot Locker is also expected to post an operating loss between $40 million and $80 million, a swing from the prior forecast of a $110 million to $150 million profit.

That's the bet: pair retail's most marketable basketball star with two chains whose identity was built on the sport, and use exclusive campaigns, product drops and fan events to reverse a sales slide before the holiday quarter.