Caitlin Clark, after leading the Indiana Fever to a 92-75 win over the Seattle Storm in the WNBA, hinted at dissatisfaction with her salary. Clark, who scored 23 points in the game, joked during a post-game interview about the high cost of season tickets, saying, “Those are pretty expensive. Our salaries… it is like our entire salary to get those. I’m not kidding. We need people to help.” Her teammate, Lexie Hull, who scored 22 points, joined in the conversation, suggesting they would work on getting tickets.
Clark, in her rookie season, earns a base salary of $76,000, while Hull makes $77,000. Despite Clark’s substantial income from a separate $28 million, eight-year Nike deal, she expressed concerns about her WNBA salary. The cost of season tickets for the Fever starts at $1,600, and prices are expected to rise due to Clark’s impact.
Drafted first by the Fever this year, Clark’s four-year contract is valued at $338,056. Her salary will increase in the coming years, reaching $97,582 if her fourth-year option is exercised. In addition to her WNBA earnings, Clark is poised to make millions through her Nike deal.
Clark’s salary is restricted by the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, established in 2020 before she played college basketball at Iowa. The current agreement runs through 2027, with an option for early termination, which could be considered if Clark continues to boost WNBA viewership.
The WNBA recently secured a $2.2 billion television deal, and Clark’s influence has been evident as she continues to draw large crowds to Fever games. The Fever currently hold a 13-15 record, sitting in seventh place, and are in contention for the playoffs, with their next game against the Minnesota Lynx.
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