School basketball superstar Caitlin Clark is established to soar to new heights in the WNBA — but her rookie contract will see her pocket a portion of the thousands and thousands her male counterparts have manufactured on the court.
The University of Iowa legend, who has previously built background as the NCAA Division I basketball’s total top rated scorer, sealed a deal with the Indiana Fever soon after she was selected as the No. 1 in general select in the WNBA draft Monday.
The agreement will see Clark make $338,056 about the system of 4 several years, according to the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement.
Underneath the 2024 WNBA rookie scale for the No. 1 – 4 draft picks, she’ll gain a foundation income of $76,535 for her initial 12 months, $78,066 the next 12 months, $85,873 the 3rd, and a fourth calendar year choice of $97,582.
In spite of her unprecedented star ability, Clark’s salary is a sliver of the eye-popping amount male athletes make in the NBA.
WNBA draft picks No. 2-4 — Stanford’s Cameron Brink who went to the Los Angeles Sparks, South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso with the Chicago Sky, Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson also with the Sparks — will make the very same pay out as Clark.
For comparison, San Antonio Spurs rookie star Victor Wembanyama — the No. 1 choose in very last year’s NBA draft — secured a $55 million four-calendar year contract that noticed him pocket $12.1 million in his very first period, in accordance to athlete deal tracker Spotrac.
Nevertheless Clark will probably rake in a lot more money as a result of endorsements and sponsorships, outraged simmered on social media about the evident income disparity in between the WNBA and NBA.
“TODAY” show host Hoda Kotb said Tuesday early morning: “They’ve by now marketed out games. She experienced the maximum scores, her teams and the Closing 4 had the best rankings — bigger than the Entire world Collection, higher than the NBA. So, I was like, what is she going to get compensated? Because finally, you can get a actual paycheck. Then I noticed it and was like, this just can’t be suitable.”
Co-host Jenna Bush Hager additional: “Honestly the gap is so jarring … We’re speaking about equal pay back. That ain’t even close.”
They observed that factors will very likely adjust in the potential as video games have by now sold out and viewership, which has historically lagged driving the NBA, has soared, partially on account of Clark’s superstar.
President Joe Biden claimed on social media Tuesday that “Females in sports activities go on to push new boundaries and encourage us all.”
“But proper now we’re seeing that even if you’re the greatest, ladies are not compensated their good share,” the president said. “It is time that we give our daughters the exact chances as our sons and make certain females are compensated what they ought to have.”
Male athletes also chimed in on the hole.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson shared a publish about Clark’s pay out on X, incorporating: “These ladies deserve so much additional … Praying for the working day.”
“To the individuals indicating it does not issue what Caitlin Clarks wage is mainly because she will be earning tens of millions via endorsement, it truly does subject,” 1 consumer on X wrote.
“Presumably she’ll make financial institution on endorsements but Caitlin Clark’s WNBA wage is significantly less than that of a union nurse, trainer, or cop,” another extra.
Journalist Lisa Ling wrote on Instagram: “Steph Curry will make more for every sport than what Caitlin Clark is producing for 4 yrs! With the toll sporting activities and journey get on women’s bodies, is this even a living wage? I know WNBA game titles have not brought in equivalent quantities by any extend of the creativeness, but this is disgraceful. Do greater for all of our females athletes!”
The combat for additional equitable pay out in women’s basketball has been a long just one.
“From a salary standpoint, it’d be great for the females to be capable to make far more revenue,” WNBA legend Lisa Leslie stated in an Oct 2022 episode of “The Store: Uninterrupted” in a dialogue with fellow basketball stars LeBron James and Draymond Green.
“It’s a good deal of get the job done — it’s a ton of tough do the job. I think I observed a little something that said one participant that can make perhaps $12 million on an NBA staff can deal with the entire WNBA’s salaries. And so that’s variety of crazy,” she extra.
The WNBA did not right away reply to an NBC Information ask for for comment.
