An Elbow Injury Drew Caty McNally Into Footwear Brand Vivobarefoot

BusinessSportsMoneyAn Elbow Injury Drew Caty McNally Into Footwear Brand VivobarefootByTim Newcomb,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Tim Newcomb covers tennis gear/business, stadiums and shoe tech.Follow AuthorAug 19, 2026, 10:00am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.SummaryVivobarefoot has a sponsorship deal with American tennis player Caty McNally, despite not yet having a dedicated tennis shoe. The partnership began organically after McNally, recovering from an elbow injury, discovered the benefits of barefoot movement.Show More American tennis player Caty McNally has a deal with footwear company Vivobarefoot. VivobarefootVivobarefoot doesn’t have a dedicated tennis court shoe (yet), but that hasn’t stopped the brand from partnering with American tennis player Caty McNally on a sponsorship deal. How the two came together didn’t start with footwear. McNally, recovering from an elbow injury, started working with German fitness group Integralis, which extolled the virtues of barefoot activity. “I learned a lot about how everything starts from the ground up, and that a lot of issues throughout the body and the hips can stem from the feet,” McNally tells me. While enjoying barefoot movement, she noticed staff wearing Vivobarefoot. Soon McNally was training in a pair gifted her by the head of the company and the 24-year-old was loving the experience. Soon, a deal between McNally and Vivobarefoot materialized. “It’s been really cool to work with such a big brand like them,” she says, “as they are worldwide, and so many people know about them.” Caty McNally wearing Vivobarefoot. VivobarefootNicholas Charlier, general manager of Vivobarefoot USA, tells me that the organic connection between McNally and the brand offered an ideal fit. “Given the genuine role our footwear played in her journey, partnering in a more official capacity felt like...