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Caitlin Clark's reported $11.1 million earnings in 2024 caught a lot of attention from fans and colleagues. The young point guard had made an impact on women's basketball during her time in college, but once she made it to the WNBA, the attention she drew was off the charts.
She was ranked 10th among the top 15 highest-paid female athletes of the year. WNBA legend Sue Bird reacted to the news, sharing her take on how Clark's estimated earnings impact the WNBA.
"To me, it's like for a league to hit it, for a league to be successful, for a league to have longevity and now to see for a player in a league to be able to garner money off the court in this way, some of it is just because it's Caitlin Clark.
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"You can't remove that from the equation, but she's a little bit of a catalyst because now that you're seeing brands invest in her, they know that she's going to be seen in the WNBA and so those brands are now also going to invest in the WNBA. And it's going to just break the door open for all this investment to come in and that's ultimately how the league will grow," Bird said. (40:02 onwards)
Sponsorships played a huge role in Caitlin Clark's earnings, as they added nearly 100% of the amount she received this year. Her $76,535 rookie salary helped but prevented her from ranking higher on this list.
Some of the athletes on the list made over $10 million in salary and even more in sponsorships. Coco Gauff led the list with $30 million, followed by Eileen Gun with $22 million.
Caitlin Clark's $11.1 million earnings reportedly played a part in her reluctance to play in new league
Unlike several other WNBA stars, Caitlin Clark opted against playing in the inaugural season of the 3-on-3 league, Unrivaled. As part of her interview as Time 2024 Athlete of the Year, Clark explained that she could join the league in the future.
“I didn't rule out doing it in the future, but this year is just not the best for me,” she said.
Sean Gregory said the money she grossed this year played a role in her decision. Clark is one of the biggest stars in the world of sports and the $11.1 million is likely to go up over the years.
