# WNBA Footwear Partnerships Skechers Became an Official WNBA Shoe Partner During Its 30th Season By Adam Harrie | Published 2026-05-11 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/official-shoe-partner References: [businesswire](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260506685821/en/WNBA-and-Skechers-Announce-Multiyear-Partnership)  [Skechers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/og-anunoby) signed a multiyear deal to become an official shoe partner of the WNBA during the league's 30th season, expanding a relationship that began in 2024 when Rickea Jackson became the first athlete to wear Skechers Basketball footwear in the league. The Skechers WNBA partnership also includes [Washington Mystics](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sol-de-janeiro-washington-spirit) forward Kiki Iriafen and three-time WNBA champion Jackie Young of the [Las Vegas Aces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/official-jersey-partner). The deal places Skechers Basketball across league activations and fan experiences throughout the season, with a footwear lineup spanning the 'SKX NEXUS,' 'SKX Full-Court Press,' 'SKX Resagrip' and 'SKX Reign' models. As women's basketball reaches unprecedented commercial momentum, Skechers shows that building athlete relationships ahead of a formal league deal can establish authentic product credibility before a brand officially takes the court. Image Credit: Skechers ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 7.3/10 - Popularity: 70% | Activity: 74% | Freshness: 75% - Audience gender: 10% men, 90% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/branding) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Athlete-first Brand Partnerships:** Early, individual athlete relationships are reshaping how brands build credibility and can lead to new models for staggered market entry before formal league deals. - **Women's Sports Commercialization:** Rapidly growing commercial momentum in women's leagues is creating large-scale sponsorship inventory and audience segments that challenge traditional sports marketing allocations. - **Performance-focused Lifestyle Footwear:** Blending on-court performance features with everyday lifestyle aesthetics opens pathways for hybrid products that compete across athletic and casual markets. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Sports Apparel:** Product lines emphasizing both performance and style are positioned to disrupt seasonal merchandising through crossover collections tied to athlete narratives. - **Sports Marketing and Media:** Content strategies centered on authentic athlete stories and localized fan activations are redefining sponsorship value and measurement frameworks. - **Athletic Footwear Technology:** Advances in cushioning, traction and modular design present opportunities for differentiated shoe platforms tailored to gender-specific biomechanics and multi-use wear. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Athlete Collaborative Sneaker Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/angel-reese-1.md) - [Basketball Soft Drink Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/soft-drink-partnership.md) - [Signature Athlete Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/caitlin-clark-1.md) - [Kickoff Footwear Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/skechers-big-game.md) - [Multi-Year Footwear Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nike-and-lego-1.md) - [Beauty Brand Jersey Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/official-jersey-partner.md) - [Unique Co-Designed Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/etsy-partners-with-wnba.md) - [Female Athlete-Fronted Luxury Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coach-x-wnba-campaign.md) - [Celebrity Basketball Shoe Launches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/reebok-and-angel-reese.md)