Caitlin Clark Drives Almost 27% Of WNBA Earnings – But Her Salary Doesn’t Reflect ‘What She’s Really Worth’

by Katherine ManzFebruary 19, 2025, 8:00 pmNews, Z-Home Slider >

Caitlin Clark, the 23-year-old phenom coming out of the University of Iowa, has brought the hype with her to her first season in the WNBA.

Yes, she’s averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds for the Indiana Fever, winning rookie of the year cleanly and finishing fourth in MVP voting. But bigger than that is her brand – the brand that, according to a study done by an economist at Indiana University Columbus, has had $36 million of economic impact on the city of Indianapolis and drove nearly 27% of the league’s total revenue.

WNBA contracts, which are collectively bargained, range from $64,154 to $241,984. Clark’s salary for the 2025 season? Likely just over $78,000.

“Will Caitlin Clark ever be paid by the WNBA what she’s really worth to that league? I don’t think that’s possible,” her agent, Erin Kane, told ESPN.

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“She’s part of a larger player body. They all need to be paid more. She should be recognized for what she has done and what she’s brought to the league from an economic standpoint. It’s as simple as that.”

With Clark’s rise to stardom and other ventures such as the three-on-three women’s basketball league Unrivaled, though, salaries should be on the rise. Unrivaled, which features players like Kelsey Plum, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, pays its players an average salary of $200,000 – a number distinctly higher than the average WNBA salary, and one it will be looking to replicate with the help of its bump in popularity.

One of the most notable consequences of the WNBA revival has been its new media deal. Signed last year, the deal extends 11 years for about $200 million a year. That’s a $140 million jump from its current deal. And that’s not even to mention the expansion teams already named – the Toronto Tempo and Golden State Valkyries – with announcements of Portland and Cleveland teams on the way.

“The most important thing,” Kane said, “Always has been getting WNBA players paid for what they do on the court.”

Kane seems to be getting her wish. But change is slow, and it’s unlikely that Caitlin Clark or her contemporaries will ever reap the full fruits of their labor during their tenures in the league.