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. A number of other factors are important for Nike's growth as a brand as well as the sport.
13 of Nike's most prominent sponsored athletes are now pregnant
Thirteen of Nike’s top sponsored female athletes are currently pregnant or have given birth. Women who have dedicated their lives to their sport are particularly concerned by the trend of athletes becoming pregnant. Nike's policy about maternity leaves athletes feeling unsafe and unprotected. This is in addition to the lack of support athletes receive during pregnancy. Many of them spoke out and demanded protection against punishment after childbirth.
Nike's new Pregnancy Policy protects them from any reductions in pay for 18-months of pregnancy
Pay cuts are often criticized for women in sport, including the Olympic team. Nike is now taking the initiative to protect female athletes against these cuts. Nike executives sent a letter to female athletes stating that they did not account for pregnancy in the sponsorship agreements. However they have since added protection language regarding pregnancy to the contracts. Felix explains why Nike has made a change to 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 to maternity rights was disrespectful and tone-deaf. Nike ultimately agreed to make changes. They also promised not to penalize Felix for poor performance postpartum. However, this is a terrible situation for all involved. Felix has signed a new contract to Athleta in light of this new situation.
Alyssia Monano's pregnancies
Alyssia Montano has made headlines as a pregnant Olympic athlete. Mexican-born Montano, who was pregnant with her first child, competed at the women's race in 2014. Her pregnancy was an important event and the company cut her wages retroactively. According to her, she was under intense pressure from Nike as well as the U.S. Olympic Committee to get back to her best athletic form. After her first baby, she decided to leave Nike and sign with Asics. Here, she was able continue competing and compete without any pay cuts. The company feared that she wouldn't return at the same level as her previous sponsorships.
Allyson Felix's reaction at the Nike ad
Allyson Felix is currently negotiating with Nike over her maternity protections. She claims that she wasn't aware she was pregnant when Nike asked her to be in an ad for female empowerment. Her contract with the company expired in December, so she was asked to take a 70% pay cut to stay with the company. She also requested certain maternity protections such as the freedom to choose her own doctor. Nike refused. The ad led to a greater debate about the rights for female athletes.