Steph Curry is going Direct to Consumer
Steph Curry just signed a 10-year contract with Chinese sportswear manufacturer Li-Ning.
Here’s why this changes the game: Curry is going direct.
Normally when athletes sign endorsement deals they allow a big name like Nike, Under Armour or Adidas, to run the store, the ads and the checkout.
For years that made sense. In 1984, Nike knew more about selling shoes than a 21-year old Michael Jordan.
But that’s changing. If I’m right, with this deal, basketball’s greatest shooter is taking his biggest shot yet.
Li-Ning makes elite products. But they’re not elite marketers. They don’t have a consumer presence in the US. Their partnerships with other US athletes aren’t close to Curry, who wears the league’s best-selling jersey.
The only way this deal makes sense is if Curry runs the show. Li-Ning handles manufacturing, distribution and investment. But team Curry owns the front of the house.
Why wouldn’t he? Curry is the best brand in sports. And celebrity-led brands work. Fenty Beuaty by Rihanna and Skims by Kim Kardashian do a combined $1.45B a year. 2026 newcomers SYRN by Sydney Sweeney and Reale Actives by Alix Earle have together amassed nearly 1M followers on Instagram. Steph’s teammate Jimmy Butler runs his own coffee company Big Face. Of course there will be a team behind the scenes, but Curry is the founder of Curry Brands, not just a royalty participant.
The signs are there: We know Li-Ning is going to open Curry Brand stores and Curry will be selecting and signing athletes under his label.
My prediction is that when you sign up for texts and emails for the latest Curry drops, Steph’s team will be collecting your info and sending the messages. Curry doesn’t need my advice. But if he asked, I’d urge him to make sure he owns and vaults cards on file too, as access to recurring revenue is the most valuable asset in retention.
Steph Curry doesn’t want Curry Brands to be the next Air Jordan. He wants to be Nike.
Put another way, if Michael Jordan's Nike deal was a slam dunk, Curry is stepping back and setting his ambitions on something higher risk and higher reward. Like going for three. 👌
