13 of the top 13 female athletes sponsored and paid by Nike are currently pregnant. This is despite the policy that protects them from any pay cuts in the 18 months prior to and after their pregnancy. These two women are Serena Williams, WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu and tennis legend Serena Williams. The Nike Collective was created to ensure that female athletes were included in 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 currently pregnant or have given birth. For women who have dedicated their careers to their sport, the worrying trend of athletes becoming parents is even more concerning. This is because athletes feel unprotected by Nike's policy on maternity. Many of them spoke out and demanded protection against punishment after childbirth.
Nike's 18-month-old pregnancy policy protects them in the face of pay cuts
The pay cuts that women receive in sports (including the Olympic team) are often blamed. Nike took the initiative to protect female sports stars from these cuts. Nike executives addressed female athletes and stated that they had not properly accounted for the possibility of pregnancy in their sponsorship agreements. They also indicated that they have added pregnancy protection language into their contracts. Felix explains why Nike has made a change to its policy.
Allyson Felix
Allyson Felix was involved a dispute with Nike about maternity rights a few decades ago. She claimed that Nike's approach was tone deaf and disrespectful. Nike ultimately agreed to make changes. They also promised not to penalize Felix for poor performance postpartum. This is unfortunate for all. Felix has signed an agreement with Athleta to address the new situation.
Alyssia's pregnancy
Alyssia Monteno is a pregnant Olympic Olympian. Mexican-born Alysia Montano was pregnant when she competed in women's marathons in 2014 and 2017. 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. She left Nike after her first pregnancy and signed with Asics, where she was able to continue competing and compete without pay cuts. 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 at the Nike ad
Allyson Felix, a mother of two, is currently in negotiations for maternity protections from Nike. 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. In December, her contract expired with the company. She was then asked to accept a 70% salary cut in order to remain with them. Nike denied her requests for certain maternity protections. The ad has caused a larger debate on the rights of female athletes.