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Caitlin Clark is bringing a lot of excitement to the WNBA after what she did for the women's collegiate basketball with the Iowa Hawkeyes. She is also bringing some optimism that the league will finally become profitable during her reign as one of the sport's most popular stars.
One of the talking points of Clark's arrival to the WNBA is the salary disparity compared to her counterparts in the NBA. The 22-year-old guard is set to earn an estimated $76,000 in her first season, while Victor Wembanyama has had a $12,160,680 salary this season with the San Antonio Spurs.
According to Lauren Hirsch, Tania Ganguli and Sarah Kessler of the New York Times, the WNBA has never made a profit in its entire existence. It brought around $200 million in revenue last season, while the NBA had an estimated revenue of $10 billion.
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The trio argued that it would take some time for the WNBA to make money, given the NBA had to wait for a few decades for Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan to arrive. It's unclear if Clark will have the same impact, but she's definitely in the right trajectory.
Some players have already expressed their support for Caitlin Clark's first season in the WNBA, while others, even legends, have taken shots at her. It's natural to be competitive, especially in athletes, but Clark might just be the answer to the league's most pressing problem.
The Caitlin Clark effect on the WNBA
Caitlin Clark's effect on the WNBA was already in full effect during the draft when the Indiana Fever selected her first overall.
The draft itself attracted 2.45 million viewers, shattering the record set by Diana Taurasi's draft in 2004 of 600,000 viewers as the most-watched draft in league history.
Clark's jersey was sold out in about an hour and is one of the most in-demand jerseys at the moment. The league has already adjusted by having 36 of the Fever's 40 games on national television and seven different networks.
The WNBA is playing its cards perfectly, as the next television rights should give some hope of profitability. However, it's just one of several factors in attaining it for the first time. The league will also need to increase its sponsorships, ticket sales and merchandise sales.
The good news is that there was enough demand to watch Caitlin Clark play that several teams have already increased their ticket prices for their game against Indiana. The Las Vegas Aces moved into a larger capacity stadium in their first matchup against Clark.
It's positive to watch Clark get cheered the most in an NBA playoff game between the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks. That's her star power, which has captivated the nation and college basketball in the past two years.
Another good news for the league is that Clark has already earned around $3.1 million in endorsements and sponsorships via the NIL. She even signed a whopping $28 million contract with Nike. If the money continues to pour in for Clark, it might not be far-fetched to think that the WNBA might finally turn a profit.
