Caitlin Clark Gets Reality Check on WNBA Salary: 'She's Going To Be Massively Underpaid'

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 10:50 PM ET

Caitlin Clark is still in her rookie contract with the Indiana Fever, which pays her $338,000 over four years. This 2025 WNBA season, Clark is only making $78,000.

While Clark has endorsement deals that pay her millions — including an eight-year, $28 million deal with Nike — there's no denying that her WNBA salary pales in comparison to how much she's bringing to the Fever and the league.

In her rookie year, Clark's presence made the Fever a must-see team, as they set several attendance and viewership records. As the WNBA's merchandise sales increased by 601% from 2023, her jersey also became the best-selling in the league.

Unfortunately for Clark, an economics professor from Temple University doesn't see her getting paid in a way that's commensurate with her impact on the WNBA.

"She’s going to be massively underpaid because it’s not just what she’s doing for her team but what she’s doing for the other teams," Michael Leeds said in an interview with The Athletic.

In the same report, an industry source told the publication that "it’s hard to believe" Clark is "not worth close to a billion to the league."

For what it's worth, during Caitlin Clark's five-game absence due to a quad injury earlier in the 2025 season, the WNBA's national TV viewership plunged by 55%. The Fever's games, in particular, saw a 53% decrease in televised viewership during that span, per USA Today.

As The Athletic noted, the WNBA's current supermax contract tops out at $249,244 per year. Even if a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is agreed upon and WNBA salaries are raised, it's definitely hard to see Clark getting the money she deserves.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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