Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever salary will actually be ‘up to half a MILLION’, insists WNBA commissioner – after outcry over her base wage of $76,535 after being first pick at the Draft
Caitlin Clark will earn up to $500,000 during her rookie season, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert insisted, following the outcry that the former Iowa star would make just $76,535 in base salary.
After being selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in this week’s WNBA Draft, Clark reportedly signed a four-year, $338,056 deal with the team — an amount that many fans and media members thought was staggeringly low for the NCAA’s all -time points leader.
However, Engelbert has made it clear that Clark will be much more all-in.
‘[For a] CEO, do you just put the base salary in there? No, you bet their bonus, you bet their stock options, you bet everything,” Engelbert said at a CNBC Changemakers event, according to NJ.com.
“Caitlin has the opportunity to make half a million dollars this year in WNBA wages alone, so they’re just looking at a collectively bargained basis and [what is reported is] is actually low because she is the No. 1 pick.”
Caitlin Clark, seen during Monday’s WNBA Draft, signed a four-year deal worth $338,056
However, according to the WNBA commissioner, Clark will make the top $500,000 this season
As Engelbert mentioned, Clark’s base salary is limited by the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, which was negotiated in 2020 before she started playing at Iowa.
The current CBA runs until 2027, although there is an option to end it sooner, and perhaps that will happen if Clark brings the kind of monster ratings to the WNBA that she did in the college game.
Clark’s salary increases to $78,066 in year two, before rising further to $85,873 in year three.
If her fourth-year option is taken, Clark will earn $97,582.
Cathy Engelbert said Clark will do “fine” – with a bonus to her total salary
However, she will also be paid handsomely from various endorsements from the likes of State Farm and Nike, with the latter reportedly landing her an eight-figure deal.
“She also has millions and millions of dollars in endorsements, and because she’s declared she’s going pro, her endorsements are higher in dollar value – she now has a global platform, not just an American platform, so she’s going to do just fine if like the top players in the league, as every league does,” Engelbert added.
Clark is expected to make her WNBA debut on May 14 vs. the Connecticut Sun.