Last season, Caitlin Clark and her standout rookie class helped make the WNBA’s regular season the most-watched in 24 years, with its highest attendance in over two decades. However, according to the Fever star’s agent, Erin Kane, it’s almost impossible for her to earn what she is worth to the league.
“Will Caitlin Clark ever be paid by the WNBA what she’s really worth to that league? I don’t think that’s possible,” Kane told ESPN. “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.”
Kane, through Excel Sports Management, also represents WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier, Arike Ogunbowale and other athletes. Back in November, Kane told Diggin’ Deep podcast that Clark was in her own “league.”
“She is one of one. It’s really just about setting the market (…) The market tells us. It’s the fans that choose. There’s a handful of players that have ignited this sort of level of excitement by being incredible at what they do, but also is like how they do it? So, it’s Serena Williams, Simone Biles… Caitlin is one of those, those are the comparisons. She is changing women’s basketball,” she explained at the time.
Caitlin Clark during a ceremony to retire her #22 following the match-up against the USC Trojans (Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
As Clark is entering her sophomore season, she is expected to make over $78,000 for the 2025 season. However, the players opted out of their current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and they’re negotiating new conditions. The league and players want to reach a deal before October 2025.
see also
Fever coach Stephanie White compares Caitlin Clark to one of the WNBA’s ‘all-time greats’
The players want higher salaries and a better business model
According to the WNBA players union, they are seeking to have a “business model that reflects their true value,” with higher salaries and additional benefits as key demands. As it stands, player salaries, which are collectively bargained, range from approximately$64,154 to $241,984 for those on a supermaximum contract.
In contrast, the upstart women’s league Unrivaled, which is wrapping up its first season in March, currently offers an average salary of over $220,000, along with an equity stake in the league.
Napheesa Collier (pictured) and Breanna Stewart co-founded Unrivaled (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Kane, a union spokesperson, expressed hope for the upcoming CBA negotiations: “The most important thing has always been ensuring that WNBA players are compensated for their contributions on the court. I’m optimistic that this CBA negotiation will be progressive and make significant strides.“
Clark’s rising fame: Endorsements and more
While Clark’s salary might not reflect her worth, the WNBA star has lucrative endorsement deals with brands such as Nike, Gatorade, State Farm, Wilson, Hy-Vee, Xfinity, Gainbridge, Lilly, and Panini.
However, her most profitable collaboration is with Nike. They secured Clark with an eight-year deal valued at over $3 million annually, ahead of her expected WNBA Rookie of the Year campaign. She recently appeared in an all-female ad for the Super Bowl, which also featured Sabrina Ionescu and A’Ja Wilson.
Clark made her debut on Sportico’s list of the world’s highest-paid female athletes, driven by an estimated $11 million in endorsement earnings, which includes her NIL money from her time at Iowa earlier in 2024.
