As the WNBA’s popularity among the major sports landscape has risen exponentially over the past few years through its exciting new players transitioning from their incredible collegiate careers to the professional ranks, the relative compensation disparity compared to their NBA counterparts has become increasingly more evident.
In a recent interview with ESPN, Erin Kane, the agent representing Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, said that the rising star may never fully be compensated for her true worth.
“Will Caitlin Clark ever be paid by the WNBA what she’s really worth to that league? I don’t think that’s possible,” said Kane.
“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.”
Clark enters her second season with the Fever this May after breaking the league’s assists record as a rookie and securing the league’s Rookie of the Year award. She and the rest of a star-studded 2024 rookie class helped drive the WNBA’s most-watched regular season in 24 years and its highest attendance in more than 20.
In terms of economic impact, a recent interview by the Indianapolis Star with an economist at Indiana University-Columbus calculated that Clark was responsible for $36 million in economic impact to the city of Indianapolis and almost 27% of the league’s economic activity for the 2024 season, including attendance, merchandise sales, and television.
According to HerHoopsStats, Clark’s salary is expected to be $78,066 for the 2025 season, which is 5.3% of the team’s $1,475,650 total payroll, excluding those currently on training camp contracts as of Feb. 17. As of the current collective bargaining agreement, the league’s salary cap is set at $1,507,100.
WNBA salaries are collectively bargained and range from roughly $64,154 to $241,984 for a player on a supermaximum contract. The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) opted out of its current CBA last October, potentially creating a work stoppage if a new deal isn’t reached by the end of the 2025 season.
The union said at the time that players are seeking a “business model that reflects their true value, encompassing higher salaries,” among other benefits.
“The most important thing always has been getting WNBA players paid for what they do on the court,” Kane added. “I’m very, very hopeful for this CBA negotiation that it will be progressive and move the line forward a lot.”
Last year, the WNBA announced an 11-year media rights deal valued at about $2.2 billion — or $200 million per year, significantly higher than the $60 million the league currently gets.
In response to the deal negotiated by the NBA, which owns about 60% of the WNBA, WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson said last July that the league is being undervalued for its current worth and potential.
“I think we’re ready for a spin-off [from the NBA],” Kane said. “I just think that the NBA is incentivized to make decisions that are good for the NBA, and those are not always aligned with what’s good for the WNBA. And so, for the sake of the league that I work in, I want women and women’s basketball to be able to make clean, clear choices that are in their own best interest.”
Certainly, with negotiations surrounding the next CBA at the simmering stage, it will be a topic to keep an eye on as the league enters its 28th season.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Caitlin Clark’s agent unconvinced WNBA can pay star her true worth
