Sports Digest: Caitlin Clark agrees to historic sponsorship deal with Nike

BASKETBALL

Caitlin Clark appears to be on the cusp of setting another record.

The most prolific scorer in NCAA Division I history and the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft will continue her association with Nike by signing a $28 million contract that spans eight years and includes a signature shoe.

The Wall Street Journal and The Athletic reported the pending deal, citing unnamed people familiar with the negotiations between the sportswear giant and Clark’s agents.

Excel Sports Management, which represents Clark, and Nike did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

Clark’s initial name, image and likeness deal, signed in 2022, expired at the end of the 2023-24 season.

The new deal would be the richest sponsorship contract for a women’s basketball player.

• Epiphanny Prince announced her retirement on social media after playing 14 seasons in the WNBA.

The 36-year-old guard retired after averaging 10.7 points, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 315 career games with Chicago, Las Vegas, Seattle and New York.

Prince rose to national fame when she scored a record 113 points in a high school basketball game before going to Rutgers. She helped the Scarlet Knights reach the national championship game her freshman year.

GOLF

PGA: A plan is in place for Rory McIlroy to rejoin the PGA Tour board, a move that would require the board’s approval and could be viewed as a chance to help to improve stalled negotiations with the Saudi financial backers of LIV Golf.

McIlroy resigned from the board in November, saying he felt he could no longer commit the time and energy required with the PGA Tour trying to finalize an agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

The deal with PIF was not finalized, and the PGA Tour instead took on Strategic Sports Group as a minority investor in a deal that could be worth as much as $3 billion.

Webb Simpson, one of the six player directors on the PGA Tour board and PGA Tour Enterprises board, has submitted a letter saying that he wants to resign as a player director but only if McIlroy replaces him, according to a person who has seen the letter.

OLYMPICS

WOMEN’S SOCCER: The U.S. women’s soccer team will play a send-off match against Costa Rica in the nation’s capitol before departing for the Olympics.

The match announced is set for July 16 at Audi Field in Washington. It will be the fourth friendly under new coach Emma Hayes as the team prepares for France. Hayes was named coach of the team late last year, but is finishing out the season with Chelsea before taking over.

Hayes is set to join the team for a match against South Korea on June 1 in Commerce City, Colorado, before a rematch on June 4 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The team will also play Mexico at Red Bull Stadium in New Jersey on July 13.

HOCKEY

NHL: Goaltender Ivan Fedotov signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract with the Flyers, landing a short-term commitment in the NHL less than a month after joining the team and nine years after his complicated and secretive journey to Philadelphia began.

Fedotov made his long-awaited Flyers debut earlier this month after being selected in the seventh round of the 2015 draft. He was able to join the team after CSKA Moscow terminated his contract in Russia’s KHL.

• New Jersey Devils leading scorer Timo Meier has had elective arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder.

The Devils said Meier had the surgery, eight days after their highly-anticipated season ended without a playoff berth. The procedure was performed by Dr. Jonathan L. Glashow and Dr. Guillem Gonzalez-Lomas, the team said without noting which shoulder was worked on.

AUTO RACING

NASCAR CUP SERIES: Erik Jones suffered a compression fracture in a lower vertebra in a wreck at Talladega and will not drive this weekend in the NASCAR Cup series race at Dover Motor Speedway.

Corey Heim will substitute for Jones in the No. 43 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club.

There is no timeline for Jones’ return. He will still attend Sunday’s Cup race at the Monster Mile.

The 27-year-old Jones has one top-10 finish in 10 races this season and is 20th in the points standings. Legacy will request a medical waiver for Jones to remain eligible for NASCAR’s playoffs.

COLLEGES

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