WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has stepped in to address the uproar over the relatively low base salary of Caitlin Clark, the top pick in the WNBA draft.
Despite her rookie season’s base salary of $76,535 with the Indiana Fever, part of a four-year contract totaling $338,056, Engelbert has asserted that Clark stands to earn substantially more.
Comparisons have been drawn with the NBA, where top picks like Victor Wembanyama, last year’s No. 1 selection, inked lucrative deals. Wembanyama secured a four-year rookie contract worth $55.2 million, translating to around $12 million in base salary for his first year.
Engelbert has clarified that while Clark’s base salary is indeed constrained by the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, her overall earnings potential extends far beyond this figure.
“[For a] CEO, do you just put the base pay in there? No, you put their bonus, you put their stock options, you put everything. Caitlin has the ability to make up to a half of a million dollars just in WNBA wages this year, so they’re just looking at a base, which is collectively bargained and [what is reported is] actually is low, because she’s the No. 1 pick.”
The commissioner hinted at the possibility of Caitlin Clark boosting the league’s TV ratings, which could potentially lead to revisions in the compensation structure.
Beyond her contractual obligations with the Fever, Clark is poised to rake in substantial income through endorsement deals. Corporate heavyweights such as Nike, Gatorade, State Farm, and Goldman Sachs are among the brands eager to align with the former Iowa standout, ensuring a significant boost to her financial portfolio.
While this is a better explanation of the low contract for the No. 1 overall pick, the WNBA still needs to figure out a way to drive more revenue and work to increase the amount of pay for these women.
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