With Maya Moore, Travis Scott and hall-of-fame pitcher Nolan Ryan watching, Iowa Hawkeyes basketball phenom Caitlin Clark hit a free throw that made history, marking her 3,668th collegiate point, breaking Pistole Pete’s NCAA scoring record for any college basketball player, man or woman.
After Clark announced she’d be entering the 2024 WNBA Draft, where she’s a sew-in at the No. 1 pick, the floodgates opened, and it wasn’t long before she inked a multiyear sponsorship deal with the financial services company, Gainbridge, one of the Indiana Fever’s and the NBA’s Pacers’ leading partners. The terms of the deal weren’t specified.
With the Fever holding the Draft’s No. 1 pick, this is presumably Clark laying her foundation in the Hoosier State. The arena the Fever and Pacers play in is called the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, just so you understand the significance of this deal.
According to a source, however, Clark’s deal with Gainbridge isn’t contingent on her keeping her name in the Draft. If she decides to complete her last season of college eligibility, her deal with stick.
Group 1001, the company behind Gainbridge, plans to use Clark in its sports projects. She will feature on the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda driven by Colton Herta in IndyCar and the No. 77 Group 1001 Camaro driven by Corey LaJoie in NASCAR.
Clark may also show up at LGPA events since Gainbridge sponsors them. Her presence in Indiana could help her sponsors like Hy-Vee and State Farm, especially with their recent expansions and sponsorships.
The Fever will begin the 2024 season in Connecticut against the Sun on May 14 before their home opener at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 16 against the New York Liberty.
