Caitlin Clark may never be paid what ‘she’s really worth’ to WNBA, agent says
Clark was the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year
Caitlin Clark immediately became a star as soon as she stepped onto the floor in an Indiana Fever jersey last year, despite naysayers believing it would take her a while to get up to speed.
Clark’s salary became a talking point during her rookie season. Her rookie deal is worth just over $338,000 over four years with the annual average value being around $84,500, according to Spotrac. She earned around $76,000 in her first season and will earn around $78,000 for her second.
The Fever hold a club option on Clark’s contract for 2027, which at this point seems extremely likely they will pick up. By the 2028 offseason, she will become a restricted free agent.
As Clark continues to grow as a player and increasingly make waves in the WNBA, she will be poised to set a record with whatever contract might come to her. A sports agent told ESPN in a story on Monday that it will be quite difficult for the sharpshooter to receive what she is actually 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,” Excel Sports Management’s Erin 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.”
A supermax contract, under the WNBA’s current collective bargaining agreement (CBA), is worth nearly $242,000 and by the time Clark gets a chance to negotiate a new deal, the landscape could be changed.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association opted out of the current CBA last October with the possibility of work stoppage if a new deal is not reached by the end of the 2025 season.
The union sought a deal that would increase player salaries, according to ESPN.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, #22, rushes up the court during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)The league is set to increase the number of teams in play starting with the 2025 season. The Golden State Valkyries join the fold with the Toronto Tempo and a Portland team coming in 2026. The Sports Business Journal reported that the WNBA is set to add Cleveland as the next expansion team.
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