Women’s pay in professional sports is back in the spotlight after news hit that star player Caitlin Clark’s new WNBA contract is worth $76,535 her first year. The questions being debated are: Are women athletes fairly compensated given their teams’ lower revenue and ratings compared to the men’s? Or, is the pay gap too wide and paychecks should be leveled?
Clark is a record-breaking powerhouse in women’s basketball, and she was just drafted as the No. 1 pick by the WNBA’s Indiana Fever.
She not only packs a lot of talent but she brings in record ratings with a nationwide fanbase. To close out her basketball career, her games shattered T.V. viewership records in both women’s and men’s basketball, drawing in nearly 19 million viewers in her championship game.
The game was the most-watched women’s basketball game ever and the most-watched basketball game of any kind since 2019. That includes the NBA and its finals too.
The WNBA draft drew in a record 2.5 million viewers, raising the question: How much is Caitlin Clark worth in the big leagues?
Clark will earn a base salary of $76,535 for her first year, $78,066 the second year and $85,873 the third, with a fourth-year option of $97,582. The other top three draft picks will earn the same salary.
Meanwhile, the NBA’s first-round draft pick made $12 million last season, which is 157 times more than Caitlin’s first-year salary. Victor Wembanyama secured a $55 million four-year contract under which he pocketed $12.1 million in his first season, according to the athlete contract tracker Spotrac.
When it comes to salaries, viewership, attendance, and ratings, the NBA trumps the WNBA.
The leagues’ revenues are also a staggering difference. Last year the WNBA brought in $200 million compared to the NBA’s $10.5 billion. The Charlotte Hornets, who were the worst team in the NBA last year, made $269 million alone.
Popularity of the WNBA has spiked in recent years. The league’s revenue grew 200% from 2022 to 2023. Viewership also went up 36% and attendance increased 16%.
Even with these victories, the WNBA lacks profitability. Sales from tickets, merchandise and broadcasting deals are not enough for the league to stand on its own. The NBA actually owns half of the WNBA.
As for the rookie, the $76,000 is just a salary. Clark already scooped up major sponsorship deals in college that are worth millions. She is also sure to land more in the WNBA.
Money isn’t where Caitlin Clark’s head is at, though.
At a press conference on Wednesday, April 17, Clark said that at the end of the day, “basketball isn’t the end all, be all.”
“I think our fans will come to find — whether they’re new or have been Fever fans — how amazing this organization is, and how much they [Indiana Fever] care and support women’s basketball, and they want to take it to greater heights.”
