In 2019, a few months before the Tokyo Olympics, Simone Biles announced her breakup with Nike, a brand she had sponsored for five years.
The blow was very hard for the sports marketing giant who lost one of its main ambassadors. Biles left Nike and signed with Athleta, part of the Gap Inc group, which also includes Old Navy and Banana Republic.
On that occasion, the gymnast born in Ohio stated that her alliance with Athleta was because the brand better represented her values.
“Using my voice has been very empowering for me and I am grateful to embark on this new journey with Athleta to inspire girls and young women to do the same. (…) I feel it was not only about my achievements but what I represented and how they were going to help me use my voice and be a voice for women and girls,” the young athlete told The Wall Street Journal.
Although the amounts of the Biles-Athleta alliance were not disclosed, Mary Beth Laughton, president of the company, defined her support for the gymnast as more than “just a sportswear sponsorship (…) We really see it as a way to support Simone throughout her life.”
The Allyson Felix Case
Simone Biles’ departure was preceded by several questions to Nike about the treatment of some athletes. The most notable occurred when sprinter Allyson Felix, seven-time Olympic champion and fourteen-time world champion, denounced through an article published in The New York Times that the company penalized its athletes if they became pregnant, significantly reducing their sponsorship.
In 2018, Allyson had to hide her pregnancy for fear of retaliation, which eventually came. In an article published in May 2019, the athletics legend revealed the details of her experience:
“Despite all my victories, Nike wanted to pay me 70 percent less than before. If that’s what they think I’m worth now, I accept that (…).
“What I’m not willing to accept is the enduring status quo around maternity. I asked Nike to contractually guarantee that I wouldn’t be punished if I didn’t perform at my best in the months surrounding childbirth. I wanted to set a new standard. If I, one of Nike’s most widely marketed athletes, couldn’t secure these protections, who could?
“My disappointment is not just with Nike, but with how the sports apparel industry at large treats female athletes. This isn’t just about pregnancy. We may stand behind the brands we endorse, but we also need to hold them accountable when they are marketing us to appeal to the next generation of athletes and consumers”, the athlete wrote.
Just a week later, amid many voices of protest and several testimonies from other discriminated athletes, Nike announced a new maternity policy, committing not to discriminate against athletes who wish to become mothers.
This policy ensures that the athletes’ incomes and bonuses will be maintained for 18 months following pregnancy.
The ‘Allyson effect’ reached three other sportswear brands, who implemented similar policies around maternity for their sponsored athletes.
Despite Nike’s shift, Allyson, like Biles, signed with Athleta.
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For sorority marketing
Allyson Felix is the most decorated sprinter in Olympic history: a track and field legend who has won seven gold medals, along with numerous other medals at world championships. Simone Biles, for her part, is the gymnast who has pushed all known limits.
Even with the success and Olympic glory preceding them, both have sought to build a legacy that goes beyond the Olympics.
Simone Biles, with the sponsorship of Athleta, will participate in an exhibition tour called the Gold Over America Tour (GOAT) 2024. Led by the most decorated gymnast of all time, the tour promises to be an exciting display of athletic brilliance and energetic choreography, accompanied by inspiring messages about hope, strength, resilience, and determination.
Moreover, Simone continues with her own line of sportswear.
Allyson Felix created her brand of athletic footwear, Saysh, also under a spirit of sorority.
Together with her brother and business partner, the Olympic champion developed high-performance sneakers designed for women by women. “Saysh is not just about shoes; it’s about following in the footsteps of a champion who dared to dream differently and fought to make those dreams a reality for all women. When you wear Saysh, you are embracing a story of resilience, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of equality and excellence,” reads the brand’s description.
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Allyson also achieved a notable milestone by ensuring that a nursery was installed for competing athletes for the first time. This site, sponsored by Pampers, aims to provide a space where athletes can breastfeed, play, interact, and enjoy their babies.
“Competing at the highest level after having my daughter was incredibly difficult. I wanted to help other athletes overcome these obstacles (…). This initiative shows that women can be mothers and high-performance athletes,” the Olympic champion told an American TV network.
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