{"id":2228971,"date":"2024-04-24T09:56:01","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T13:56:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/usa-today-columnist-infuriated-over-caitlin-clark-shoe-deal-says-black-players-deserve-it\/"},"modified":"2024-04-24T10:00:29","modified_gmt":"2024-04-24T14:00:29","slug":"usa-today-columnist-infuriated-over-caitlin-clark-shoe-deal-says-black-players-deserve-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/usa-today-columnist-infuriated-over-caitlin-clark-shoe-deal-says-black-players-deserve-it\/","title":{"rendered":"USA Today columnist angered by Caitlin Clark shoe deal, argues it should go to black players"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fusa-today-columnist-infuriated-over-caitlin-clark-shoe-deal-says-black-players-deserve-it%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2228971&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Caitlin\u200d Clark&#8217;s groundbreaking $28 \u2063million deal with Nike \u200dfor her \u2062signature shoe sparks controversy,\u200d with USA Today columnist Mike Freeman\u200c highlighting disparities in \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cardi-b-mariah-carey-complain-of-racial-discrimination-pay-disparity\/\" title=\"Cardi B, Mariah Carey Complain Of Racial Discrimination, Pay Disparity\">endorsement deals<\/a> between white and\u200c black WNBA players. While Freeman\u200d acknowledges Clark&#8217;s deserving\u200d endorsements, he advocates for fair opportunities for black players like A&#8217;ja Wilson in the league. This\u200c calls attention to the need for equity \u2064in player endorsement \u2063deals.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/sports\/\">  Sports <\/a>    <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/aaltomari\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/aaltomari\/%20\"><span>Anthony Altomari<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   April 24, 2024 at 5:30am <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>Caitlin Clark continues to shatter records.<\/p>\n<p>But apparently, she has racism to thank for her achievements.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wnba-star-said-reality-coming-caitlin-clark-record-shattered-draft-night\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Clark<\/a> and Nike are in an agreement on a historic 8-year, $28 million endorsement contract that will include her own signature shoe, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/wnba\/story\/_\/id\/40008254\/caitlin-clark-set-sign-new-8-year-deal-nike-reports-say\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ESPN<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/theathletic.com\/5424729\/2024\/04\/17\/caitlin-clark-nike-endorsement-indiana-fever-wnba\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Athletic<\/a> first reported that Clark was on the verge of signing the record breaking deal on April 17, although the length and dollar amount were not yet known.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of celebrating this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/president-trumps-foreign-policy-legacy-4-accomplishments-to-remember\/\" title=\"President Trump\u2019s Foreign Policy Legacy: 4 Accomplishments To Remember\">historic deal<\/a> and giving props to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-nba-champ-goes-race-rant-says-journalist-isnt-black-media-praising-caitlin-clark\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Clark<\/a> for all she\u2019s done for women\u2019s basketball so far, one USA Today columnist cried foul because Clark\u2019s deal apparently shows black WNBA players aren\u2019t be treated the same as white players.<\/p>\n<p>In commenting on Clark\u2019s deal, Mike Freeman of USA Today <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/columnist\/mike-freeman\/2024\/04\/22\/wnba-aja-wilson-signature-shoe\/73383276007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">noted<\/a> that \u201cClark would join only three other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-espn-host-roasts-wnba-team-says-league-needs-embrace-caitlin-clark-biggest-star\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WNBA<\/a> players with signature shoes: Breanna Stewart, Elena Delle Donne and Sabrina Ionescu. You may notice a pattern there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The three other players, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-country-star-shows-love-caitlin-clark-concert-makes-crowd-roar-seeing-honors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Clark<\/a>, are white.<\/p>\n<p>While Ionescu and Stewart\u2019s shoes are still available, Della Donne\u2019s shoe currently isn\u2019t listed on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nike.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nike<\/a> website.<\/p>\n<p>Freeman argued that it was unfair that players like Las Vegas Aces forward A\u2019ja Wilson, who is black, doesn\u2019t have her own shoe.<\/p>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\">\n<p>Do people cry &#8220;racism&#8221; too often?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cWilson is one of the greatest stars of our time. Any athlete of her caliber should already have a signature shoe. It is the order of things. In fact, it should have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/elder-on-race-can-we-all-lighten-up\/\" title=\"ELDER: On Race, Can We All Lighten Up?\">happened years ago<\/a>,\u201d Freeman said.<\/p>\n<p>Wilson, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/w\/wilsoa01w.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">two-time<\/a> WNBA MVP and two-time WNBA champion, said in 2023 that she expects to get a signature shoe \u201cin due time,\u201d according to Freeman.<\/p>\n<p>Freeman also pointed out that, up until recently, almost every player who had a signature in the WNBA was black.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019ve only been 12 players in the history of the WNBA with their own signature shoe. In the past, almost every signature shoe from 1995-2011 belonged to a black woman,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Freeman went on to say that the WNBA isn\u2019t treating black and white players equally.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe fact that only white women hold the power of the signature shoe now, as the WNBA enters its most high profile and prosperous phase, shows how black women are being ignored in a league that they dominate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Freeman did say that \u201cClark deserves every endorsement she\u2019s getting,\u201d but he argued that black players in the WNBA do, too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat so much of this comes down to is a lack of respect for the black women of the WNBA. A lack of respect for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/black-americans-turning-biden-home-state-donald-trump-want\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">black Americans<\/a> overall isn\u2019t something new to the marketing world. This is old hat. That doesn\u2019t change the ugliness of it,\u201d Freeman said.<\/p>\n<p>Mark Harris of OutKick <a href=\"https:\/\/www.outkick.com\/analysis\/usa-today-mike-freeman-furious-white-caitlin-clark-signature-shoe-nike-racist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">published<\/a> a scathing rebuke of Freeman\u2019s article, saying that \u201cFreeman only sees skin color.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf that reads like Freeman is complaining about the fact that some white women have been awarded the opportunity for a signature shoe, it\u2019s because that\u2019s exactly what he\u2019s doing,\u201d Harris said.<\/p>\n<p>Freeman\u2019s mentality is exactly what is going to continue to drive fans away from sports.<\/p>\n<p>Consistently playing the victim card and complaining that life isn\u2019t fair because of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/interview-jeremy-carl-sounds-alarm-anti-white-racism-tearing-america-apart\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">racism<\/a>, is a tactic that is getting very old.<\/p>\n<p>Sports should function as a meritocracy, where the best players are rewarded with the most lucrative offers.<\/p>\n<p>Freeman is right to note that Wilson, who is one of the league\u2019s best players, deserves a signature shoe.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s not because she\u2019s black, it\u2019s because she\u2019s good.<\/p>\n<p>And as for the other three players that Freeman mentioned besides Clark, they also happen to be very good.<\/p>\n<p>Ionescu is an up and coming <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/i\/ionessa01w.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">all-star<\/a>. Both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/s\/stewabr01w.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stewart<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/d\/delleel01w.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Della Donne<\/a> have won two MVP awards each and been selected to multiple all<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-end-of-an-era-albert-pujols-dropped-by-the-angels\/\" title=\"The End Of An Era: Albert Pujols Dropped By The Angels\">-star games<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The point is, the other three women besides Clark who have signature shoe deals are among the best players in the WNBA.<\/p>\n<p>Clark, too, isn\u2019t getting a signature shoe because she is white, but rather because she is one of the most popular and exciting female athletes in recent memory, as her March Madness games drew unprecedented <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/caitlin-clarks-championship-matchup-shatters-viewership-record-89-surge-even-shocked-numbers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">viewership<\/a> numbers for women\u2019s basketball.<\/p>\n<p>As one X user pointed out, Clark\u2019s popularity will likely yield a lot of sales revenue, which in turn will open the door for all WNBA players to get their very own signature.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Because if they give Aja Wilson a shoe and it doesn\u2019t sell, it ruins future endorsements and deals for WNBA players! Now when CC shoe sells, it allows other players(black or white) to have their shoe as well. There is nothing confusing about economics! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vOX69ExyyX\">https:\/\/t.co\/vOX69ExyyX<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Marxuz X (@MarxuzRzr) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MarxuzRzr\/status\/1780797782032343138?\">April 18, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>It may seem repetitive, but when articles like the one Freeman wrote are published, people have to be reminded that sports are a meritocracy, and not an institution that is against black people.<\/p>\n<p>If these leagues really were against black people, then 63.8 percent of the WBNA would not be black, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/1375205\/wnba-players-ethnicity\/#:~:text=In%202023%2C%20over%2060%20percent%20of%20players%20in,Basketball%20Association%20%28WNBA%29%20were%20black%20or%20African%20American.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Statista<\/a> reported in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>This type of backwards thinking is going to lead us, as you would guess, backwards.<\/p>\n<p>Until media pundits stop trying to blame racism for every world problem, our society will never be able to move forward. The only way to move forward is to move forward together and see people as more than the color of their skin.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s hope that our society can finally start appreciating everyone for who they are, and not what they look like.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p><b><i>A Note from Our Deputy Managing Editor:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i><span>I heard a chilling comment the other day: \u201cWe don\u2019t even know if an election will be held in 2024.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>That wasn\u2019t said by a conspiracy theorist or a doomsday prophet. No, former U.S. national security advisor Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn said that to the founder of The Western Journal, Floyd Brown.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Gen. Flynn\u2019s warning means that the 2024 election is the most important election for every single living American. If we lose this one to the wealthy elites who hate us, hate God, and hate what America stands for, we can only assume that 248 years of American history and the values we hold dear to our hearts may soon vanish.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The end game is here, and as Benjamin Franklin said, \u201cWe must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>All of this means that <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>without you<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>, it\u2019s over. We have the platform, the journalists, and the experience to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/desantis-rises-as-he-promises-hes-only-begun-to-fight-put-on-full-armor-of-god-to-fight-the-left\/\" title=\"DeSantis Rises As He Promises He\u2019s \u2018Only Begun To Fight\u2019: \u2018Put On Full Armor Of God\u2019 To Fight The Left\">fight back hard<\/a>, but Big Tech is strangling us through advertising blacklists, shadow bans, and algorithms. Did you know that we\u2019ve been blacklisted by 90% of advertisers? Without direct support from you, our readers, we can\u2019t continue the fight.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Can we count on <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>your support<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>? It may not seem like much, but a <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>Western Journal Membership<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  can make all the difference in the world because when you support us directly, you cut Big Tech out of the picture. They lose control. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>A monthly Western Journal Membership costs less than one coffee and breakfast sandwich each month, and it gets you access to ALL of our content \u2014 news, commentary, and premium articles. You\u2019ll experience a radically reduced number of ads, and most importantly you will be vitally supporting the fight for America\u2019s soul in 2024.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>We are literally counting on you because without our members, The Western Journal would cease to exist. Will you <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>join us<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  in the fight? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Sincerely,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Josh Manning<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Deputy Managing Editor<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The Western Journal<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"author-info-45807\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/aaltomari\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><label for=\"summary-tab-radio-45807\">Summary<\/label><label for=\"more-info-tab-radio-45807\">More<span> Biographical Information<\/span><\/label><label for=\"posts-tab-radio-45807\">Recent<span> Posts<\/span><\/label><label for=\"contact-tab-radio-45807\" onclick=\"if( typeof grecaptcha=='undefined' ) { let cap_s=document.createElement( 'script' ); cap_s.src='https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api.js?render=6LeJFcsUAAAAAPsIEqvB1EebWbZfqRUe6ebMpGy7'; document.body.appendChild( cap_s ); }\">Contact<\/label><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Anthony Altomari is a commentary writer for the Western Journal. He focuses his writing on culture and politics.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>  Anthony Altomari is a commentary writer for the Western Journal. He focuses his writing on culture and politics. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a groundbreaking move, Caitlin Clark secures an unprecedented 8-year, $28 million deal with Nike, featuring her signature shoe. Amidst her record-breaking success, controversy arises as critics claim racism played a role in her achievement. ESPN reports on this historic endorsement contract, initially revealed by The Athletic<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2570,"featured_media":2228972,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Caitlin-Clark-6.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2228971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Caitlin-Clark-6.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2228971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2570"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2228971"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2228971\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2228972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2228971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2228971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2228971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}