Biden demands WNBA players ‘get their fair share’ and slams Caitlin Clark’s rookie contract after it was revealed she would be paid a fraction compared to men
President Joe Biden is addressing the pay gap between male and female basketball players and demanding that women “get their fair share” after the pay gap between WNBA and NBA rookie contracts was revealed.
‘Women in sport continue to push new boundaries and inspire us all. But right now we see that even when you are the best, women don’t get their fair share,” Biden wrote in a post on X.
The Internet lit up after it was revealed that 22-year-old basketball sensation Caitlin Clark, the first pick in Monday’s WNBA draft, would make just $76,535 in her first WNBA season as part of her rookie contract with the Indiana Fever.
By comparison, men’s No. 1 Victor Wembanyama earned $12,160,680 in his first season with the San Antonio Spurs.
βIt’s time we give our daughters the same opportunities as our sons and ensure women get what they deserve,β Biden wrote.
Caitlin Clark poses for a photo with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected first overall by the Indiana Fever in the first round of the WNBA draft on Monday
Biden weighs in on X and calls for women to ‘get paid what they deserve’ as people online complain about Caitlin Clark’s first-year earnings compared to NBA rookies
President Biden at a coffee shop, accompanied by Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt, on April 17
Clark’s performance on the basketball court during this year’s NCAA tournament sent the nation into a frenzy, with Iowa Hawkeyes games breaking viewership records.
For the first time ever, the NCAA women’s basketball championship drew more viewers than men’s basketball.
ESPN announced that 2.45 million people tuned in to watch the Indiana Fever select Clark with the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft on Monday, shattering the previous viewership record of just over 601,000.
But even though all eyes are on Clark, she will make less money in her first year of WNBA contract than some NBA mascots make.
Clark will earn $338,056 over the course of her four years in Indiana.
She signs a three-year contract with an option for a fourth year.
Clark would earn $76,535 in the first year. That increases to $78,066 in year two and $85,873 in year three. If she took the fourth year, she would earn $97,582.
Clark has already signed lucrative deals with companies like State Farm and Gatorade
Clark shoots against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the NCAA Championship on April 7. 18.7 million people watched the game, making it the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever, surpassing the viewership for the men’s championship game.
Fortunately for Clark, she will have plenty of opportunities to participate in commercial opportunities off the field with sponsorship deals to supplement her meager WNBA income.
Her NIL (name, image and likeness) worth was recently reported at $3.4 million.
The basketball superstar already has deals with State Farm Insurance, Nike, Gatorade, Buick, Hy-Vee and more.
The former Iowa star has become a household name in recent months and she will now look to revive the Indiana franchise along with last season’s No. 1 Aliyah Boston, who previously played with Clark on a U.S. Under-19 basketball team .
She enters the WNBA as the most successful college player in history, which has made her the sport’s new star.
She received a warm welcome in Indianapolis on Wednesday.
βI’m super happy to be here,β Clark said during an introductory press conference.
βThis is a dream come true, like these are the moments you dream about,β she said.
Clark said she couldn’t think of a better place to start her career, calling it “a place that loves basketball, supports women’s basketball and an organization that really does things the right way.”