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Local versus national
Local sponsors make sense of such a clause: a regional car dealer does not want to endorse an athlete who is no longer local. National brands work differently. Picture Steph Curry moving to Charlotte while Chase, a team sponsor, holds a deal with him. Chase would not tear up the contract, because the brand is paying for the superstar himself.
Why the clause stands out
That is why a requirement to stay with the team stands out. If Steve Ballmer is not paying Kawhi Leonard, he does not need Aspiration to pay Kawhi Leonard, and a condition tying the sponsor's money to the Clippers fits an arrangement in which the team is behind the payment.
The October 2021 email
On October 28, 2021, Zucker wrote an email with the subject line Aspiration and Kawhi. It described an offer from Joe Sandberg for Leonard to be a spokesperson for $5 million in cash plus $7 million in stock per year for four years, as long as he was with the Clippers. It asked someone to come up with a wish list of what Joe should ask for from Kawhi, because Joe did not really know what to ask for.
Why do local sponsors prefer local athletes?
A regional business buys advertising to reach customers in its own market. An athlete who moves away takes their audience with them, so the sponsor's spending no longer reaches its buyers. Local deals are therefore often tied to the athlete staying with the home team. A single-market business has little reason to pay for fame that sits in another city.
Why do national brands sign stars directly?
A national brand pays for an athlete's fame across the whole country, and that fame goes with the player from team to team. Endorsement contracts usually tie pay to the athlete's performance, public image, and conduct, with clauses written around those terms. Because the value follows the player, a move to a new city rarely changes what a national brand is buying. Superstars regularly keep their national endorsements through trades and free agency.