(Photo courtesy of IndyStar) “Caitlin Clark dribbles the ball against the Sun”
Jake Messer
Connector Editor
With the Connecticut Sun’s series victory against the Indiana Fever, it marks the end of Caitlin Clark’s historic rookie season.
Clark accomplished a lot this season, from being the first ever unanimous Rookie of the Year to shattering numerous rookie records. She has done a lot this year, but the most important accomplishment she had this year was made off the court. Clark legitimized women’s basketball in the United States.
Clark has been a viewership magnet for the WNBA this season, with games averaging 657,000 viewers throughout the season, the highest it has ever been in the league’s 24-year history.
Furthermore, 22 games have even surpassed the one million mark, and the peak of it came on June 23, when the Chicago Sky faced off against the Indiana Fever, which drew a monstrous 2.3 million viewers.
This is not only huge for the WNBA but for women’s sports as a whole. Across the board, women’s sports are growing as more people are tuning in and becoming fans. In June, it was estimated that women’s sports as a whole were going to generate over $1 billion in revenue this year, the first time that has ever happened.
With the increase in fan investment, there’s been an increase in team revenue, giving way to pay raises across the sports world.
On Sept. 16, 2024, Barcelona announced that Ballon d’Or winning midfielder Aitana Bonmati had signed a record-breaking four-year extension to make her the highest female player in the sport. Her yearly salary, although not made public, is reported to be over $1 million.
Here in America, the highest-paid player in the NWSL is Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, daughter of NBA legend Dennis Rodman. At just 21 years old, Rodman’s salary is just over $800,000 a season.
Heading back to the WNBA, the highest-paid player is Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young, who makes around $252,000 per season.
One thing that needs to be mentioned is that these women actually make more money with their respective sponsorships and brand deals, which brings them in more money, but the previously mentioned numbers are just their salaries that the teams pay out, which is noticeably different when compared to the men.
Look at both basketball drafts last season. Caitlin Clark and Victor Wembanyama were both drafted as first overall picks. Clark’s four-year rookie deal comes out to around $338,000, about $76,000 a year. On the other hand, Wembanyama’s four-year rookie deal totals $55.1 million, about $12.16 million a year.
This discrepancy is jarring, but understandable. The difference in league revenues between men’s leagues and women’s leagues is massive. In 2023, the NBA generated over $10 billion in revenue. In comparison, the WNBA generated $200 million in 2023. There just simply isn’t enough money flowing to afford million-dollar contracts in the eyes of the owners.
However, the shift has already begun.
As these leagues continue to grow, more revenue will be generated, which means female athletes will have more leverage in contract negotiations with general managers and owners.
The age of a salary gap between men and women in sports is nearing its end.
This isn’t just a matter of female athletes can be paid more fairly, it’s a matter of when they will be paid more fairly.
