Caitlin Clark’s Nike Choice Sparked Curry’s Under Armour Fallout

Bloomberg says Caitlin Clark played a role in Stephen Curry’s exit from Under Armour. Curry had backed Under Armour’s push to sign Clark; she chose Nike, leaving Curry disappointed and “exacerbating existing concerns” after his camp “became frustrated by what they viewed as underinvestment.” That miss mattered: analysts estimate Clark’s first shoe could be worth $100M while her deal was reported at $28M, making her a rare growth opportunity in women’s basketball. Merlin sees a classic missed bet. The sneaker market is softer, and women’s hoops is the clearest growth lane — Clark was the megastar Under Armour needed to reset the narrative. The brand still has athletes, but failing to lock the league’s hottest rookie sent a signal: Under Armour wasn’t all-in. Rebuilding will require bold signings and real investment.