Caitlin Clark signs eight-year, $28 million Nike contract
Caitlin Clark, the top scorer in NCAA Division I history and the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, will continue her association with Nike by signing a $28 million, eight-year contract, according to reports Tuesday.
The Wall Street Journal and The Athletic reported the pending deal, citing unnamed people familiar with the negotiations.
Clark's initial name, image and likeness deal with Nike, signed in 2022, expired at the end of the 2023-24 college season.
The new deal would be the richest sponsorship contract for a women's basketball player.
The Associated Press wrote that Under Armour and Adidas also participated in contract discussions with Clark's team in February, according to the WSJ and The Athletic. Puma also showed some interest but walked away when told the bidding would start at $3 million per year, according to the WSJ.
GOLF
McIlroy rejoins board: Rory McIlroy didn’t stay away from the PGA Tour’s policy board for long.
The four-time major champion from Northern Ireland will return as a player director on the policy board and take a seat on the board of PGA Tour Enterprises, the
Guardian reported.
McIlroy stepped back from the policy board in November following the dramatic tussle between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia-financed LIV Golf and the organizations’ subsequent “framework agreement” for a merger.
According to the Guardian, however, Webb Simpson has submitted his resignation from the policy board with an “explicit request” that McIlroy take his seat.
McIlroy would need to be approved by a vote Wednesday, per the report. With peers like Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Cantlay holding votes, it’s unlikely McIlroy’s return would face any resistance.
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have not completed a final merger agreement with LIV’s financiers, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), in the months since a self-imposed Dec. 31 deadline came and went.
Adding McIlroy as a player director could fuel hope that a deal with the PIF can move forward, the Guardian reported. McIlroy, once a sharp critic of LIV Golf, has since come to the position that men’s golf needs reuniting, with LIV players allowed back on the tour without penalty.
McIlroy, 34, denied a rumor last week that he was offered $850 million to jump to LIV.
NHL
Matthews leads Leafs: Toronto’s Auston Matthews scored with 7:54 left in regulation to cap a three-point night and lift the Maple Leafs to a 3-2 win over the host Boston Bruins in Game 2 of an Eastern Conference first-round playoff series Monday.
Max Domi had a goal and an assist and John Tavares also scored for Toronto, which returns home with the best-ofseven series tied at 1-1 ahead of Game 3 on Wednesday.
Toronto’s Ilya Samsonov made 27 saves, including 10 in the third period. Matthews logged his fourth career threepoint playoff game.
FIRST ROUND
(Best-of-7; x-if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
FLORIDA 1, TAMPA BAY 0
G1: Florida 3, Tampa Bay 2
Tuesday: at Florida
Thursday: at Tampa Bay, 7
Saturday: at Tampa Bay, 5 x-Monday, April 29: at Florida, TBA x-Wednesday, May 1: at Tampa Bay, TBA x-Saturday, May 4: at Florida, TBA
CAROLINA 2, N.Y. ISLANDERS 0
G1: Carolina 3, N.Y. Islanders 1
Monday: Carolina 5, NY Islanders 3 Thursday: at N.Y. Islanders, 7:30 Saturday: at N.Y. Islanders, 2 x-Tuesday, April 30: at Carolina, TBA x-Thursday, May 2: at N.Y. Islanders, TBA x-Saturday, May 4: at Carolina, TBA
BOSTON 1, TORONTO 1
G1: Boston 5, Toronto 1
Monday: Toronto 3, Boston 2
Wednesday: at Toronto, 7
Saturday: at Toronto, 8
Tuesday, April 30: at Boston, TBA x-Thursday, May 2: at Toronto, TBA x-Saturday, May 4: at Boston, TBA
N.Y. RANGERS 1, WASHINGTON 0
G1: N.Y. Rangers 4, Washington 1 Tuesday: at N.Y. Rangers
Friday: at Washington, 7
Sunday: at Washington, 8 x-Wednesday, May 1: at N.Y. Rangers, TBA x-Friday, May 3: at Washington, TBA x-Sunday, May 5: at N.Y. Rangers, TBA
WESTERN CONFERENCE
WINNIPEG 1, COLORADO 0
G1: Winnipeg 7, Colorado 6
Tuesday: at Winnipeg
Friday: at Colorado, 10
Sunday: at Colorado, 2:30 x-Tuesday, April 30: at Winnipeg, TBA x-Thursday, May 2: at Colorado, TBA x-Saturday, May 4: at Winnipeg, TBA
EDMONTON 1, LOS ANGELES 0
G1: Edmonton 7, Los Angeles 4 Wednesday: at Edmonton, 10
Friday: at Los Angeles, 10:30
Sunday: at Los Angeles, 10:30 x-Wednesday, May 1: at Edmonton, TBA x-Friday, May 3: at Los Angeles, TBA x-Sunday, May 5: at Edmonton, TBA
VANCOUVER 1, NASHVILLE 0
G1: Vancouver 4, Nashville 2
Tuesday: at Vancouver
Friday: at Nashville, 7:30
Sunday: at Nashville, 5 x-Tuesday, April 30: at Vancouver, TBA x-Friday, May 3: at Nashville, TBA x-Sunday, May 5: at Vancouver, TBA
VEGAS 1, DALLAS 0
G1: Vegas 4, Dallas 3
Wednesday: at Dallas, 9:30
Saturday: at Vegas, 10:30
Monday, April 29: at Vegas, TBA x-Wednesday, May 1: at Dallas, TBA x-Friday, May 3: at Vegas, TBA x-Sunday, May 5: at Dallas, TBA