Caitlin Clark made history once again.
An already-robust list of NIL deals grew again. Clark became the first college and female athlete to sign an NIL deal with State Farm. Per On3’s Pete Nakos, the long-term NIL deal means that Clark could appear in commercials, social media advertisements and events repping State Farm.
Clark joins Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul as famous athletes with endorsement deals from State Farm.
Honored to be the first college athlete joining team @StateFarm ! 🥳 So, where do I get the freshest khakis @JakeStateFarm ? #ad pic.twitter.com/nTrhjlLBle
— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) October 10, 2023
“State Farm is a team that looks out for others, which is exactly the kind of legacy I want to leave beyond the basketball court. I’m honored to be the first college athlete to join the Good Neighbor team—in khakis of course and look forward to growing the women’s game together,” Clark said.
After an NCAA Tournament march for the ages, Clark’s stock nationally rose to an all-time high. Some of the world’s biggest sports stars—names like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Dick Vitale—were busy buzzing about Clark.
Clark became the first women’s player to register back-to-back 40-point scoring performances in the NCAA Tournament. One was a 40-point triple-double in the Elite Eight versus Louisville. The other was in the Final Four against then-unbeaten and No. 1 South Carolina.
Clark’s 191 points and 60 assists were both NCAA Tournament records as she helped guide the Hawkeyes to the national championship game. Her eight made 3-pointers was also a record.
“Sports marketing is a key part of our growth strategy, and our investment over the last several decades has shown great business impact.
“Welcoming Caitlin Clark to our team expands and strengthens our ability to positively impact communities, engage with audiences in meaningful ways, and reinforces our commitment to raising the visibility of women in sports. As a fellow Good Neighbor, we can’t wait to drive progress forward together with Caitlin for years to come,” State Farm chief marketing officer Kristyn Cook said in a statement.
Iowa and Clark begin their encore act to last season’s historic run with the Crossover At Kinnick this Sunday at 2 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
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