Caitlin Clark doesn’t play for the Indiana Fever (yet), but that hasn’t stopped the college basketball superstar from doing business with one of the team’s top partners.
Clark has inked a multiyear sponsorship deal with financial services company Gainbridge, one of the top partners of the Fever and the NBA’s Indiana Pacers, both of which are owned by the Simon family. The recently crowned all-time Division I leading scorer is teaming up with the digital platform, and she will promote the Indiana-based company and its new women-focused annuity product ParityFlex. The terms of the deal were not disclosed but was facilitated by her representation at talent agency Excel Sports Management.
Clark announced last week that she will enter April’s WNBA Draft, where she’s expected to be drafted No. 1 overall by the Fever, joining 2023 No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston. The partnership deal will remain in place even if the senior decides to return to Iowa for her final season of eligibility, according to a source.
The sponsorship deal signals the beginning of Clark’s ties to the Hoosier State. Both the Fever and the Pacers play at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after the financial platform took over naming rights for the 20,000-seat facility in 2021. Clark joins current and former women athletes on Gainbridge’s roster, including tennis legend Billie Jean King and LPGA Tour star Annika Sörenstam. Fever guard Lexie Hull previously had a sponsorship deal with Gainbridge.
Group 1001, the parent company of Gainbridge, has plans to integrate the 2023 Collegiate Women’s Athlete of the Year across its sports-related assets. Clark’s signature will be on the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda driven by Colton Herta in IndyCar as well as the No. 77 Group 1001 Camaro driven by Corey LaJoie in NASCAR.
Clark, who is a golf enthusiast, could potentially make an appearance at an LGPA event too, as Gainbridge has partnered with the LGPA for the last six years and has served as a title sponsor for multiple events including The Annika at Pelican, which launched in 2023.
While she isn’t projected to land in a big media market, some of her existing sponsors could benefit with her inevitable presence in Indiana. Supermarket chain Hy-Vee, which signed Clark back in 2021, has recently expanded its business to Indiana. State Farm, another one of her endorsers, is the presenting sponsor for the upcoming WNBA draft in Brooklyn. Actor Kevin Miles, also known as Jake from State Farm, was one of the attendees at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday to watch her break the scoring record.
Pacers Sports and Entertainment, which recently hosted NBA All-Star Weekend, has made business headlines lately as the Pacers sold a significant minority stake to billionaire Steven Rales in December. The parent company also recently named former COO Mel Raines as its new CEO to replace Rick Fuson.
The Fever open the 2024 season on the road against the Connecticut Sun on May 14 before their home opener at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 16 against the New York Liberty.