Why Caitlin Clark Should Have Gotten the Same Shoe Deal as Jordan

If you've seen the movie 'Air' you know just how revolutionary Michael Jordan's shoe deal with Nike was. The man behind that deal believes Caitlin Clark should have been treated just like MJ.

Clark's deal with Nike is reportedly an 8-year deal worth up to $28 million. She will also have a signature shoe produced by Nike. But at least one expert believes Clark could have gotten a whole lot more. That man is Sonny Vaccaro. Yahoo points out that Vaccaro was a key figure in Nike signing Michael Jordan to a shoe deal with Nike in 1984. He has also been involved in many other athlete signings including Kobe Bryant.

Vaccaro calls both Jordan and Caitlin Clark "brilliant" and "charismatic", according to Yahoo. He went on to add that Clark deserved the same kind of deal Jordan got when he signed his shoe deal. Not only did Jordan get paid to sign with Nike, but he negotiated a deal where he earned royalties for every pair of shoes sold that featured his name.

Vaccaro believes that Clark's agents handled the deal poorly, telling Yahoo "Caitlin Clark was in the best position to maximize her value immediately than any [woman in sports] that I knew." He added, "She should have got a piece of everything just like Michael Jordan."

There is little doubt that when Clark's signature shoe makes its debut, it will be one of the hottest shoes to hit the market in years. Imagine if she got a cut from every pair sold. Michael Jordan would go on to become the greatest NBA player of all time. A career like that only boosted the profile of his shoes. Can Caitlin Clark do the same?

One thing is for sure. Nike can take my money right now. I can't wait to see what Caitlin's shoes are going to look like!