"Give her a bonus" - Donald Trump urges WNBA to boost Caitlin Clark's pay citing Tiger Woods-like spike in popularity

Former President Donald Trump joined the "Let's Go" podcast on Monday to discuss sports, and one of the things they discussed was equal salary in sports. Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark was cited as an example due to her popularity and the attention she brought to the WNBA.

Her salary was compared to the likes of LeBron James and Steph Curry, who make considerably more than Clark. Trump was then asked if something should be done about it.

According to Trump, something should be done about it, but it's a complicated topic.

"It's unusual," Trump said. "Tiger (Woods) when he first went out, remember those days? Or just a great baseball player in the minor leagues or a first-year football player."

Trump said that if Clark keeps doing what she does, she can hopefully make a lot of money. This prompted someone to ask if there's nothing anyone can do to raise the salary of someone like Clark and if it all just depends on the market.

"You gotta rely on the market," Trump replied. "You can't go in and say we're gonna break the contract because this person did well. The league could probably go up and give her a bonus."

Trump comparing Clark to Tiger Woods seems appropriate. When Tiger appeared, golf experienced a surge in popularity. According to the St. George's Golf and Country Club website, TV ratings for the masters tournament rose to an average of 9.5 when he won. However, when he didn't, ratings averaged 7.4.

Tiger also reportedly brought an increase to professional golfers' salaries. Prior to his arrival, only 10 players had earned over $7 million. This changed dramatically, as in 2017, more than 150 pro golfers reportedly made $10 million.

Whether the Caitlin Clark effect can bring in a massive increase to the WNBA's salary in the way Tiger Woods did for golf remains to be seen. So far, it is fair to say that she has already brought in an increase in viewership.

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How much is Caitlin Clark's salary?

There have been plenty of discussions regarding the salary in the WNBA, especially with the surge of popularity that Caitlin Clark has brought. With Clark specifically, the question is whether her salary matches the attention she's brought to the league.

Clark earned $76,535 in her rookie season. This is the same amount for the top four picks of the 2024 draft. The other three are Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso and Rickea Jackson.

Clark signed the same rookie scale contract as these three players. This contract is worth $338,056 for the first four years, with the yearly amount increasing steadily.

Caitlin Clark has undoubtedly increased the attention that the WNBA receives just by joining the league. According to the data, she has set multiple records for ticket sales, sponsorships, merchandise sales and TV viewership.

Aside from her salary, Caitlin Clark earns money from sponsorship deals with brands. She has endorsement deals with Nike, Gatorade, State Farm and Bose.