Rickea Jackson is the first WNBA player signed by Skechers as they enter the basketball market
Skechers has announced the third colorway of its SKX Nexus basketball shoe with help from rookie standout Los Angeles Sparks, Rickea Jackson. He SKX Nexus It is the fourth basketball shoe from Skechers since entering the scene last year.
The 2024 WNBA All-Rookie forward is one of the few players choosing a company new to women’s basketball and the game itself. More recently, the escort of Las Vegas Aces, Sydney Colsonsigned with Creative Control as its first flagship athlete, bringing the total number of active WNBA players with a shoe contract to seven.
“There are more opportunities for more players, regardless of whether it is a proactive decision or a decision to do something different,” she said. Lindsay Kagawa Colasexecutive vice president of talent representation at the sports, music and entertainment company Wasserman. “Sometimes that also includes considering companies that haven’t traditionally been in the sector, and within these deals, athletes have the opportunity to do different things and shape the deal however they want.”
Marketing of exclusive shoes, player edition shoes, products and sponsorships has changed considerably since the launch of Nike Air Swoopesthe first exclusive shoe awarded to a WNBA player, the four-time WNBA champion Sheryl Swoopesin October 1995.
“Many WNBA players have loyal fan bases and not just the ones that get all the coverage,” said the award-winning sports writer and author. Lyndsey D’Arcangelo. “Sydney Colson receiving her shoe is a perfect example of that. She is not a top-level player, but she has her own followers and her own fans. “There are other ways to get players who get contracts with Nike to endorse your product and an opportunity for brands to be creative.”
For the first 20 years of exclusive shoe contracts in women’s basketball they were limited to major brands such as Puma, Fila, Nike and Adidas. Now, Skechers has entered basketball and hopes to offer a WNBA player an exclusive shoe in the future.
“When you get into basketball, it’s a dual-gender sport,” said Greg Smith, vice president of product development and marketing at Skechers. “It took us a while to find the right player. Rickea is an incredible player, a great brand ambassador and partner to work with. In our first year, we wanted to enter with [jugadores de la NBA y de la WNBA]”.
In addition to Jackson, the Skechers basketball roster includes Philadelphia 76ers center, Joel Embiidto the forward of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Julius Randleand the LA Clippers guard, Terance Mann.
Smith said that in selecting a WNBA athlete to bring on board, the company wanted someone with promise of a long career in the league. The company also wanted to partner with someone close to Skechers’ headquarters in Manhattan Beach, California, and was willing to take a risk with a company that was new to the market.
“We were able to meet with her and it turns out that she has a desire to provide input on the product and the process,” Smith said. “He was the perfect person for us. “There are a lot of great options in the WNBA, but we felt like she was the best fit for our needs.”
In the initial Skechers announcement, Jackson said, “I am thrilled to be the first WNBA player to join forces with Skechers. While Skechers is a new player in the world of basketball, its commitment to fit, support and actively collaborating with athletes is clear. The comfort and design of their footwear is very impressive. I love training in these shoes and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.”
Kagawa Colas believes the coronavirus pandemic brought forward WNBA players’ involvement in shoe deals. According to the UK National Statistics Officeretailers took the biggest hit in 2020, but the pause allowed people to connect in new ways.
“While some companies paused, others were just figuring it out,” Kagawa Colas said. “For some, it was a pause, but for others, it was a launching pad for much of what we see today. People wanted to invest in things they were associated with, people wanted to know who they were and what they cared about. People would soon discover that they had a lot in common with these players.”
This pause felt around the world also contributed to an increase in the use of social media. Social media is a way for fans to connect with players and for agents to show sneaker decision makers how interested fans are in their clients.
“The tools we have today that show that female athletes give the biggest return for every dollar, tools like social media numbers, metrics and audience monitoring, all show that the WNBA is big business,” she said. Kagawa Tails.
The international sports and entertainment agency Octagon represents the majority of brand deals for female players in the Washington Mystics, Shakira Austin, Ariel Atkins y Shatori Walker-Kimbrough. When negotiating deals, there is almost always a social media element. Before accepting a deal, the agency determines how the content will look on its clients’ channel and whether it aligns with it.
“The most difficult thing lately has probably been the budget issue,” said Jianni Smith, Octagon’s marketing and communications manager. “There is still a disconnect between what the brand is willing to spend and what it should really spend on the player. Negotiation definitely happens, but before brands come to you, there is usually already an alignment of the brand with the interests of our clients.”
Since the league’s inception, agents have been able to include viewing figures and ratings in their presentations when pitching their projects to their clients. Even with the WNBA’s record viewership increase this year, there is still half the battle ahead. According to Kagawa Colas, a player’s popularity on social media is a major factor in the increase in deals for WNBA athletes.
“Women often find themselves in a situation where they have to prove it before there is an investment, whereas with men, people invest all day,” Kagawa Colas said. “They always have to prove it when it comes to seeing if something will sell with a woman.”
Now that brands have begun marketing products in women’s basketball, additional measures are needed for athletes’ longevity with the products. That includes making sure products are available and accessible, expanding opportunities for more female gamers, and including causes they care about.
While Skechers is currently focused on the WNBA, it is also looking to enter women’s college basketball. Since the brand does not have apparel rights for colleges, this creates a small hurdle for recruiting college athletes, while there are no limits on the number of WNBA athletes who sign with the company.
“We plan to continue expanding within the WNBA with more players and grow our business,” Smith said. “We are going to have new shoes with more of Rickea’s vision and we believe his perspective will help us create something for everyone. Rickea is not the end for us, she is just the beginning. As we move forward, you can expect us to sign more players.”
