As of this writing, 13 out of the top 13 female athletes sponsored by Nike are pregnant, despite the new policy protecting them from pay reductions during the 18 months preceding and following 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. It is also crucial that Nike has female athletes involved in its discussions, which will help to grow the brand and the sport of Nike.
13 of the top Nike sponsored athletes are currently pregnant
Thirteen of Nike's top female sponsored athletes are either pregnant or have already given birth. Women who have dedicated their lives to their sport are particularly concerned by the trend of athletes becoming pregnant. It is particularly troubling that athletes are not supported during pregnancy. Nike's policy regarding maternity leaves athletes feeling vulnerable. Many of them spoke out and demanded protection against punishment after childbirth.
Nike's new policy regarding pregnancy protects them against pay cuts for 18 months.
It is often said that women in sports including the Olympic teams are subject to pay cuts. Nike has taken steps to protect female athletes from these 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 changed its policy.
Allyson Felix
Allyson Felix was involved with Nike a few years back in a dispute 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. This unfortunate situation affects all parties. Felix has signed a new contract for Athleta due to the new circumstances.
Alyssia Montano's Pregnancy
Alyssia Monteno, a pregnant Olympic athlete, has been in the news. Mexican-born, Montano competed as a women's athlete in the marathon in 2014 and 2017, while she was pregnant. Her pregnancy was significant for her and the company reduced her pay retroactively. She said she was under pressure from Nike and the U.S. Olympic Committee to return to her full 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 at the Nike ad
Allyson Felix currently negotiates with Nike about her maternity protections. According to her, Nike approached her for a role in an ad on female empowerment and she didn't know she was pregnant. To keep her contract with the company, she was required to take a 70% pay reduction. Nike denied her request for certain maternity protections. The ad has sparked more debate about the rights and responsibilities of female athletes.