Current Events > Gap between Caitlin Clark's WNBA salary and her male counterparts draws outrage

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https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/gap-caitlin-clarks-wnba-salary-male-counterparts-draws-outrage-rcna148024

College basketball superstar Caitlin Clark is set to soar to new heights in the WNBA but her rookie contract will see her pocket a mere fraction of the millions her male counterparts have cashed in on the court. The University of Iowa legend, who has already made history as the NCAA Division I basketballs overall top scorer, sealed a contract with the Indiana Fever after she was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft Monday. The contract will see Clark earn $338,056 over the course of four years, according to the WNBAs collective bargaining agreement. Under the 2024 WNBA rookie scale for the No. 1 - 4 draft picks, she'll earn a base salary of $76,535 for her first year, $78,066 the second year, $85,873 the third, and a fourth year option of $97,582. Despite her unprecedented star power, Clark's salary is just a sliver of the eye-popping amount male athletes make in the NBA. For comparison, San Antonio Spurs rookie star Victor Wembanyama the No. 1 pick in last years NBA draft secured a $55 million four-year contract that saw him pocket $12.1 million in his first season, according to athlete contract tracker Spotrac. Though Clark will likely rake in much more income through endorsements and sponsorships, outraged simmered on social media over the glaring salary disparity between the WNBA and NBA. TODAY show host Hoda Kotb said Tuesday morning: Theyve already sold out games. She had the highest ratings, her teams and the Final Four had the highest ratings higher than the World Series, higher than the NBA. So, I was like, what is she going to get paid? Because finally, you can get a real paycheck. Then I saw it and was like, this cant be right. Co-host Jenna Bush Hager added: Honestly the gap is so jarring ... Were talking about equal pay. That ain't even close.

Even male athletes have chimed in on the gap. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson shared a post about Clark's pay on X, adding: These ladies deserve so much more Praying for the day. To the people saying it doesnt matter what Caitlin Clarks salary is because she will be making millions through endorsement, it actually does matter, one user on X wrote. Presumably shell make bank on endorsements but Caitlin Clarks WNBA salary is less than that of a union nurse, teacher, or cop, another added. Journalist Lisa Ling wrote on Instagram: Steph Curry makes more per game than what Caitlin Clark is making for 4 years! With the toll sports and travel take on womens bodies, is this even a living wage? I know WNBA games have not brought in comparable numbers by any stretch of the imagination, but this is disgraceful. Do better for all of our women athletes! The fight for more equitable pay in womens basketball has been a long one. From a salary standpoint, itd be great for the women to be able to make more money, WNBA legend Lisa Leslie said in an October 2022 episode of The Shop: Uninterrupted in a conversation with fellow basketball stars LeBron James and Draymond Green. Its a lot of work its a lot of hard work. I think I saw something that said one player that makes maybe $12 million on an NBA team can cover the whole WNBAs salaries. And so thats kind of crazy, she added.

A league that is almost entirely subsidized by another league doesn't pay as well??? Who would have thought?

She deserves more that's for sure. Such a skilled player

Maybe the people outraged by this should start watching WNBA games on TV, attending WNBA games in person, and buying WNBA merchandise so the league makes more money and can pay its players more. It's already subsidized by the NBA.

She should start a OF page to bridge the gap

You can't pay people with money you don't have. What does the NBA bring in in revenue? What does the WNBA do?

She's bringing in a shit ton of money to the WNBA already. Her game against Connecticut is already sold out and tickets are going for like 800 for nose bleeds on the aftermarket.

The WNBA loses money every fucking year. They've been kept afloat by the NBA for their entire history.

If you want to bitch about Clark's salary, then you better start buying tickets to WNBA games. Otherwise, you're a hypocritical piece of shit.

garan posted...

The WNBA loses money every fucking year. They've been kept afloat by the NBA for their entire history.

If you want to bitch about Clark's salary, then you better start buying tickets to WNBA games. Otherwise, you're a hypocritical piece of shit.

These posts are so fucking stupid.

It's truly not hard to just say that Clark is underpaid.

It sucks for the league in general, but Caitlin herself is going to make bank in endorsements.

Stop comparing the WNBA with the NBA. That is not how to get more support. Look at this already ppl pointing out that the WNBA makes nothing and it is only due to the grace of the NBA it still a thing

I make more than her each year except the last with the fraction of the work I'm sure she's done to be the best. They probably should be paying her better.

NBA and NFL players used to not make that much either until the leagues exploded in popularity. Unfortunately for her, the best she can do is pave the way for the ones that come after her. And she has already done a ton to garner support for Women's basketball. If she was just after money then she could have gotten more anywhere else. But what she is willingly doing is far more important.

She was offered $5mill to play in the Big 3 league. I'm sure she chose the WNBA due to the endorsements and sponsorships she'll be receiving, which will probably out earn the Big 3 contract she was offered.

sports is probably the thing i'm least, for lack of a better term, woke about. i do agree that the most hyped female hooper i've ever heard of is going to make regular ass people money is pretty crazy. but people aren't watching. not yet. i hope they do. but until then, i can't say pay them what the men make when the wnba doesn't generate it.

she should take up ice cube on his offer. 5 mil for a handful of games and it wouldn't get in the way of her season.

It's okay, with more players like her coming along the WNBA can finally make some sort of a profit and pay their players better

I will say that I've never seen/heard about people being this hyped about women's basketball before this year's college games. People were actually interested in the draft! And I've seen a lot more people already planning to go to the games now.

So hopefully, this will all be a catalyst to get them paid more.

ClayGuida posted...

She's bringing in a shit ton of money to the WNBA already. Her game against Connecticut is already sold out and tickets are going for like 800 for nose bleeds on the aftermarket.

Ok. Now do that again and again for nearly 40 years, like the NBA has since Magic, Bird, and Jordan turned what was a dead league that didn't even have a national TV deal into the juggernaut it is now.

wnba pay has actually increased a fair amount in recent years and if the hype and popularity clark has generated follows her to the wnba it will keep going up. the most important thing for athletes/leagues to getting crazy salaries in the tv deals. if even half the people that watched her tournament run tune into her games in indy the wnba tv deals will go way up

I was getting all geared to up to say the WNBA has to make more money before they can pay more money

But holy damn, she doesn't even get $100k...

WNBA players should be playing for free because the league hasnt ever turned a dime in profit.

https://youtu.be/I745Ajeq_B8?si=jO1I7JAwpme4VZeS

WNBA players should be paid more, and if you want make that a reality start spending (more) on the WNBA then.

But in the meantime, the NBA makes so damn much more money than the WNBA that it's nonsensical to compare salaries between the two.

The WNBA are background extras of tv shows and movies

Thats unfortunate, but comparing Steph Curry to Caitlin Clark is stupid. Shame on journalist Lisa Ling. Do better.

K181 posted...

WNBA players should be paid more, and if you want make that a reality start spending (more) on the WNBA then.

But in the meantime, the NBA makes so damn much more money than the WNBA that it's nonsensical to compare salaries between the two.

Why should they be paid more when their league doesnt make money?

WNBA makes 0.6% of what the NBA makes in a year

TheDurinator posted...

Maybe the people outraged by this should start watching WNBA games on TV, attending WNBA games in person, and buying WNBA merchandise so the league makes more money and can pay its players more. It's already subsidized by the NBA.

If people cared about woman's sports half as much as they fearmongered over trans-women competing then women's sports would be doing great.

garan posted...

The WNBA loses money every fucking year. They've been kept afloat by the NBA for their entire history.

If you want to bitch about Clark's salary, then you better start buying tickets to WNBA games. Otherwise, you're a hypocritical piece of shit.

the WBA had been profitable for at least the last 4 years or so.

wnba players next contracts will probably all clear a million.

https://twitter.com/LevAkabas/status/1780332508795539600

She's arguably one of the biggest stars in American sports right now.

This is why griner was in Russia.

ClayGuida posted...

https://twitter.com/LevAkabas/status/1780332508795539600

She's arguably one of the biggest stars in American sports right now.

Those people haven't started watching the games and realizing womens' ball is a snoozefest

Common sense always goes out the window with these discussions. As the sole reason for any spike in ratings she will get more money from sponserships so its all good

ClayGuida posted...

https://twitter.com/LevAkabas/status/1780332508795539600

She's arguably one of the biggest stars in American sports right now.

Tbf, that's not just due to Caitlin. There are a few college stars people are very interested in. All of them coming through at the same time is a perfect storm.

Were_Wyrm posted...

A league that is almost entirely subsidized by another league doesn't pay as well??? Who would have thought?

I agree, but 80k while being at the top of your league seems pretty bad.

gamepimp12 posted...

the WBA had been profitable for at least the last 4 years or so.

wnba players next contracts will probably all clear a million.

Profits are going to have sustain and keep going up - and probably need a renegotiation of the % that goes to players when their CBA is up (2027 I think) - before we start seeing single season salaries that hit a million. The highest salary this season is about $241k, with the max set at about $264k for 2027.

NBA has been carrying the WNBA since it became a thing not once has the WNBA turned a profit cant get more money when the NBA has to pay for everything sorry

Money doesn't just appear out of thin air. If you're running a successful business then you pay your employees what you can afford. If they could afford to pay her more they would. But the reality is they don't have that kind of money coming in. But discussing her contracts with the WNBA is not very smart anyway because she's going to make most of her money off marketing contracts with brands. Hundreds of thousands if not millions in her lifetime.

Are there max rookie contracts in the WNBA? Is that what she got?

If not, her agents and representatives are to blame. I get that they cant pay her a lot because they dont make any money but she should have gotten a Messi like deal where she gets a piece of the teams revenue.

whitelytning posted...

Are there max rookie contracts in the WNBA? Is that what she got?

If not, her agents and representatives are to blame. I get that they cant pay her a lot because they dont make any money but she should have gotten a Messi like deal where she gets a piece of the teams revenue.

why would a team owner give up a piece for their franchise to somebody that hasn't played a single game for them?

WNBA players only get 20% of revenue. NBA players get 50% and NFL players get 48%.

what revenue dude?

How do you get 20% of negative revenue

Irony posted...

How do you get 20% of negative revenue

Revenue isnt negative. Profit is negative.

CADE_FOSTER posted...

what revenue dude?

200 million in 2023. Should rise considerably this year if Clark is selling out arenas. Her jersey sold out the minute they went on sale.

radical_rhino posted...

Revenue isnt negative. Profit is negative.

I actually meant that but I was also trying to do a joke so correcting me made it like not funny

As Bill Burr famously said women dont give a **** about the WNBA. Guys are not going to go watch unless theirs a gimmick attached like the Lingerie Football League...

does that even cover cost to run the wnba nba makes 10 billion a year