As of writing, 13 of 13 top female athletes sponsored by Nike were pregnant. This is despite their new policy which protects them against any reductions in pay for the 18-months preceding and subsequent to their pregnancy. The two athletes in question are tennis legend Serena Williams and WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu, and the Nike Collective was founded to make sure that female athletes were part of the company's decisions. A number of other factors are important for Nike's growth as a brand as well as the sport.
13 of the top Nike sponsored athletes are currently pregnant
Thirteen of Nike's top sponsored female athletes are expecting or have given birth to a child. This worrying trend of female athletes getting pregnant is especially concerning for those who have given their lives to their chosen sport. This is because athletes feel unprotected by Nike's policy on maternity. Many of them have voiced concern and requested protection from punishment following childbirth.
Nike's new pregnancy policy protects them for 18 months from any pay cut
Women in sports, including the Olympic team, are often criticised for their pay cuts. Nike has taken the initiative and protected female athletes from such cuts. Nike executives wrote to female athletes to say that they hadn't adequately considered pregnancy in their sponsorship agreements. However, they have since added protection language for pregnant athletes to their contracts. Felix explains why Nike made changes to its policy.
Allyson Feliz
A few years ago, Allyson Felix was involved in a dispute with Nike over maternity rights. She claimed that Nike's approach was tone deaf and disrespectful. Nike finally agreed to make the necessary changes, including not penalizing Felix postpartum or during pregnancy for her poor performance. However, this is a terrible situation for all involved. Felix has signed a new contract for Athleta due to the new circumstances.
Alyssia Montano's Pregnancy
Alyssia Monteno, a pregnant Olympic runner, has been the talk of the town. Mexican-born Montano competed in the women’s marathon in 2014, 2017 and while she was pregnant with her second child. Her pregnancy was significant for her and the company reduced her pay retroactively. She explained that Nike and U.S. Olympic Committee pressured her to get back to her former athletic form quickly. After her first pregnancies, she left Nike to sign with Asics. This allowed her to continue competing without losing any of the pay. The company was concerned that her future sponsorships could be at risk if she didn't return to her old level.
Allyson Felix's reaction to nike's ad
Allyson Felix has been in negotiations with Nike for her maternity coverages. According to Allyson Felix, when Nike asked for her to appear in an advertisement about female empowerment she did not know that she was pregnant. Her contract with the firm expired in December and she was asked for a 70% cut in her pay to keep the company. Nike denied her request for certain protections during pregnancy, including the right to choose a physician. The ad caused a bigger debate about the rights to female athletes.