Caitlin Clark has undeniably transformed the WNBA, from filling stadiums to driving huge increases in viewership.
Her influence on the league is undeniable, yet a crucial question remains: Is she-and her fellow players-being paid fairly for their immense contributions? The current salary structure suggests that the answer is no.
While the WNBA has been a launching pad for players like Clark, the league has long faced criticism for its underwhelming player salaries.
Recently, Natasha Cloud added her voice to the growing list of players demanding that Commissioner Cathy Engelbert adjust the pay scale.
As Clark‘s role in the WNBA continues to grow, it’s becoming clearer that the players are not receiving compensation that reflects their impact.
A stark pay disparity
Charly Arnolt, on Outkick The Morning, made a pointed observation about the WNBA’s salary structure, calling it “embarrassing.”
She highlighted how Clark‘s salary-set at just over 78,000 dollars for the 2025 season-barely matches what many would make in their first job out of college.
Even the league’s highest-paid players cannot earn more than 241,984 dollars, which is a far cry from the massive salaries in the NBA.
This pay discrepancy is particularly glaring considering the level of talent and influence players like Clark bring to the table.
No wonder players like Angel Reese have publicly admitted that their WNBA salaries are not even enough to cover basic expenses, like rent. This stark pay gap calls for serious changes in how the league compensates its athletes.
Caitlin Clark‘s influence goes well beyond her on-court skills. According to Dr. Ryan Brewer, an economic expert, Clark has had an outsized economic impact on both the WNBA and her home city of Indianapolis.
Dr. Brewer calculated that Clark has added 36 million dollars to Indianapolis’ economy alone. More impressively, he found that Clark contributed to 26.5 percent of the WNBA’s total economic activity this season.
Clark’s effect on the league is evident in more than just numbers. The Indiana Fever averaged more than 17,000 fans per game, becoming the first WNBA team to exceed 300,000 fans in a single season.
Meanwhile, Clark‘s games drew an average of 1.2 million viewers-an increase of 199 percent compared to games without her. Overall WNBA TV viewership surged by 300%, and Fever games now account for 45 percent of the league’s broadcast value.
Merchandise sales have also exploded, growing by an astounding 500 percent, with Clark leading the charge, closely followed by Angel Reese.
Although Caitlin Clark secures income through sponsorships, the WNBA itself must take responsibility for ensuring that players are paid fairly for their game-changing contributions.
As Charly Arnolt pointed out, it’s embarrassing for a league to underpay an athlete who has had such a monumental impact, both on and off the court.
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