Caitlin Clark’s $76K WNBA first-year salary sparks wage gap debate

[KARAH RUCKER]

WOMEN’S PAY IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS.

IT’S A CONVERSATION THAT TENDS TO COME UP WHEN A FEMALE STAR OR SPORTS TEAM GRABS THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT.

THIS TIME – IT’S CAITLIN CLARK’S NEW CONTRACT REIGNITING THE DEBATE.

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 SHOULD THE PLAYING FIELD AND PAYCHECKS BE LEVELED?

LET’S QUICKLY CATCH YOU UP ON CLARK.

A RECORD-BREAKING POWERHOUSE IN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL –

JUST DRAFTED AS THE NUMBER ONE PICK BY THE WNBA’S INDIANA FEVER.

SHE NOT ONLY PACKS A LOT OF TALENT –

BUT SHE BRINGS WITH HER – RECORD RATINGS ON THE RESUME –

WITH A NATIONWIDE FANBASE.

TO CLOSE OUT HER BASKETBALL CAREER – HER GAMES SHATTERED TV VIEWERSHIP RECORDS IN BOTH WOMEN **AND MEN’S** BASKETBALL.

DRAWING IN NEARLY 19 MILLION IN HER CHAMPIONSHIP GAME –

WHICH MADE IT THE MOST WATCHED WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAME **EVER.

AND THE MOST-WATCHED BASKETBALL GAME OF ANY KIND SINCE 2019.

YES – THAT INCLUDES THE NBA AND THEIR FINALS TOO.

YOU’RE LOOKING AT A WHOLE OTHER BEAST CARRYING THIS SORT OF NATIONAL ATTENTION.

AND IT’S ALREADY CARRYING OVER POST-COLLEGE.

THE WNBA DRAFT DREW IN 2.5 MILLION VIEWERS.

YET. ANOTHER. RECORD.

SO HOW MUCH IS CAITLIN WORTH IN THE BIG LEAGUES?

SHE’LL MAKE 76…..THOUSAND DOLLARS…HER FIRST YEAR.

THE NBA’S FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICK MADE 12 MILLION LAST SEASON.

WHICH IS 157 TIMES MORE THAN CAITLIN’S FIRST YEAR SALARY.

WHEN IT COMES TO SALARIES.

VIEWERSHIP. ATTENDANCE. RATINGS.

THE NBA – TRUMPS THE WNBA.

AND REVENUE OF THE LEAGUES – IS ALSO STAGGERING DIFFERENCE.

LAST YEAR THE WNBA AS A WHOLE PULLED IN 200 MILLION DOLLARS.

THE CHARLOTTE HORNETS WHO WERE THE WORST TEAM IN THE NBA LAST YEAR MADE 269 MILLION ALONE.

THE NBA AS A WHOLE – MADE MORE THAN 10 BILLION.

POPULARITY OF THE WNBA – HAS SPIKED IN RECENT YEARS.

THEIR REVENUE GREW 200% FROM 2022 TO 2023.

VIEWERSHIP ALSO WENT UP 36% AND ATTENDANCE INCREASED 16%.

BUT 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 76K IS A SALARY.

SHE ALREADY SCOOPED UP MAJOR SPONSORSHIP DEALS IN COLLEGE WORTH MILLIONS AND IS SURE TO LAND MORE IN THE WNBA.

AND MONEY ISN’T WHERE CAITLIN CLARK’S HEAD IS AT.

SHE SPOKE AT A PRESS CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY.

NOT TALKING ABOUT THE PAY.

BUT THAT WHAT COMES NEXT – WILL BE BIGGER THAN THE GAME ITSELF.

“You know the person you see on the court, I am super competitive, I’m super fiery, I’m super competitive, but at the end of the day, for me, like basketball isn’t the end all be all. And I feel like that’s why I’ve been able to have so much success. I don’t find that much gratification in things I’ve been able to do. Obviously the final four has been great, the awards, whatever. For me, all that stuff is in a storage closet.      

I think our fans will come to find whether they’re new or have been fever fans how amazing this orgnaization is, and how much they care and support women’s basketball and they want to take it to greater heights.”