The Caitlin Clark effect is undeniable.
Based on WNBA ratings and the recent Indiana Fever financial report, the former Iowa Hawkeye and now Fever rookie superstar has proven that her appeal transcends the WNBA, and as a result, has been a revenue windfall for the NBA. So her $76,535 annual salary certainly seems laughably low.
Let’s dig into how the current collective bargaining agreement is completely unfair to her and other burgeoning WNBA phenoms like the Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese.
Jersey sales
NBA players have around a 50-50 split with “basketball-related revenues”, which includes broadcast money and jersey sales. WNBA players don’t see any of that unless a certain threshold is met, which is not known to the public.
With Caitlin Clark, there has been a 1,193% increase in Indiana Fever jersey sales year-over-year. It can be assumed almost all of those are Clark jerseys. She most likely doesn’t see a cent of that.
One-woman ratings driver
How much is Clark driving the WNBA’s record ratings? Try 14 of the 16 highest-rated WNBA games this season have showcased Caitlin Clark (top three were Clark and her main on-court rival, the Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese).
This season, 16 WNBA games have drawn 1 million+ viewers.
14 of them have featured Caitlin Clark.https://t.co/yX8uJz3IZ1 pic.twitter.com/J2lwzQhzXI
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) August 15, 2024
Clark’s ratings momentum has continued from Iowa into the WNBA.
Caitlin Clark played in 3 COLLEGE basketball games this year with a higher viewership than the OLYMPIC Gold Medal match.
This year had the lowest gold medal viewership since 2008 https://t.co/ozLk6T122J pic.twitter.com/izaqb2dlzT
— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) August 13, 2024
The remaining 14 games of the Indiana Fever’s regular season schedule, who sit seventh in the WNBA at 11-15, will be on national television, including the Fever’s return to action vs. the Phoenix Mercury. Not a bad deal for the WNBA.
Also in that Fever financial report: the Fever had the second-most engagement for social media across ALL American sports franchises between April through July with 800 million views. Only Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami had more.
Mass appeal beyond the game
As witnessed most recently by Clark hanging with the “starstruck” New York Yankees and Aaron Judge, Clark has pop-culture appeal that the WNBA and Indiana Fever are certainly using to their bottom-line profit benefit.
The new media rights agreement is now up to $2.2 billion over the next 11 years (with incentives for more), and a disproportionate reason for that is the Caitlin Clark effect.
Obviously Clark and her team have struck huge deals with brands, most notably the record $28 million deal with Nike, including the recent unveiling of her inaugural signature Kobes.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said that Clark could make as much as $500,000 for her rookie season with undisclosed incentives, and the WNBPA can opt out of its current deal this November with more leverage.
For Clark and other transcendent WNBA superstars, let’s hope they are able to get closer to their true market value. Because now, she’s an absurd bargain.
