OT Caitlin Clark's WNBA rookie contract breakdown released

[Tony Franciosa]

How many of the people complaining actually watch the WNBA? Want the stars to make more? Watch more games. Encourage your friends to watch more games. TV ratings drive all... low ratings means low salaries. Doesn't matter how good your players are if you can't afford to pay them.

[KrAzY3]

Man. I’m a struggling self-employed musician and I make half that much. I did not realize how low WNBA salaries are.

The league loses money, so in some ways the players are lucky to make that much. She's a special case since she's become somewhat of a celebrity, but I guess she's banking on endorsement money to make up for not getting that 5 mil from Big 5.

[Billy Goat]

Buy WNBA stock, growth is coming

I dont think so. Clark made waves mostly because the NCAA tournament is 1 and done.

[Marrrcuss]

Buy WNBA stock, growth is coming

I dont think so. Clark made waves mostly because the NCAA tournament is 1 and done.

The elephant in the room for the tournament was the lil racial thing that was going on. They will need a rivalry for the WNBA to grow to its fullest potential .........which is adding about 17 viewers.

[azcatz11]

Buy WNBA stock, growth is coming

I dont think so. Clark made waves mostly because the NCAA tournament is 1 and done.

The elephant in the room for the tournament was the lil racial thing that was going on. They will need a rivalry for the WNBA to grow to its fullest potential .........which is adding about 17 viewers.

What racial thing?

[deneem4]

S/o Steph seriously, they not dunking n stuff but she pulling up

[Marrrcuss]

I dont think so. Clark made waves mostly because the NCAA tournament is 1 and done.

The elephant in the room for the tournament was the lil racial thing that was going on. They will need a rivalry for the WNBA to grow to its fullest potential .........which is adding about 17 viewers.

What racial thing?

Not sure if you're serious but the main reason a lot of black folks tuned into the final four is they got roped into this fake rivalry and were rooting against Caitlin both games. Remember that stupid 'John cina' gesture crap from last year? I was arguing with my dawg today about how stupid it was for folks to still be riled up over that mess.

[deneem4]

The elephant in the room for the tournament was the lil racial thing that was going on. They will need a rivalry for the WNBA to grow to its fullest potential .........which is adding about 17 viewers.

What racial thing?

Not sure if you're serious but the main reason a lot of black folks tuned into the final four is they got roped into this fake rivalry and were rooting against Caitlin both games. Remember that stupid 'John cina' gesture crap from last year? I was arguing with my dawg today about how stupid it was for folks to still be riled up over that mess.

She can shoot n it’s exciting, it’s why nobody cares about the Celtics and nobody cared about the women champions goin undefeated, Steph jus had to do a for play shootout n it’s forgot about til the allstar game next year
Women basketball still fundamental based, even if the Chicago twin towers make some noise it’s still 20 years behind Duncan and Robinson
Sabrina gon have to bring it to grow the brand as the premier shooter but that’s on them to market the games and on the ladies to make it exciting

[dhsilv2]

It's indeed a very low figure for a pro, but it is what it is, there isn't demand for this product, unfortunately that's how the market works.

Now if she brings a huge demand for the game, there are already reports that the league is seeking to double the revenues of their broadcasting rights (link), then these contracts would skyrocket in the coming decade.

I think it's not far-fetched to say the WNBA contracts could increase by 10 times until the end of the decade... and, even then, they would be grossly underpaid relative to the NBA players.

Let's see if she can be the one to break this "cycle".

Why would you add this? Underpaid when it comes to entertainment is relative to how your percentage of revenue is compared to others, not raw numbers.

Did I say anything factually wrong, though? I mean, you paraphrased what I wrote,

If you get a standard WNBA contract and multiply times 10, that's still a lot less money than relative to their NBA counterparts.

Regarding your last sentence, it's the same thing I wrote in the first 2 paragraphs of the post above.

The WNBA players are grossly overpaid relative to NBA players. Not the other way around. The NBA makes money. They don't. Not sure how you could see this differently. If you work for a company that can't make money...you shouldn't get a pay check.

[theforumblue]

It is all relative, 76k a year would be insane money to me even today, but in USA economy I believe it would be perceived low even for non athlete? When I was growing up, my mother raised me, what at a time, dollar being way stronger, was an equivalent of maybe 1k per year...

That said, we need to remember how much bigger NBA salaries are, compared yo even other players playing same sport. Best non NBA players will get 3 mil tops, you can still buy good Euroleague player for 600k, and majority of pro basketball players around the world, are still way worse than a good Euroleague player. In my country, even some lesser known clubs players are nationally known, but I doubt many of them get 76k a year.

Vaidas Kariniauskas, who even made national team, I mean he only made it cause like 10 best guys refused to play this past year, but he still made it, and famously ended up trashing team USA and Austin Reaves in particular, I believe his contract prior to that game was below 30k...

You can make $40k a year flipping burgers in California. Literally

Not in 4-5 months though.

WNBA is 40 game regular season, 3 rounds of playoffs, 3 game series round 1 and 5 game series semi-final and finals.

So even if one is comparing to the NBA, you would have to compare it to 1/2 NBA salary.

I believe WNBA players get less of their BRI though, that would be where they can make gains, but comparing their salaries to NBA in general is pointless and doesn't help anyone.

there are some rumblings about how she's so underpaid. we'll probably hear from wnba players who are gonna jump on that and try to get paid like guys again.

WNBA players aren't idiots, but are they getting the same % of BRI as NBA players? That's what can be argued for, obviously they can't actually ask to be paid the same numbers.

i believe they get a much smaller % compared to nba. it'll be interesting couple of years for wnba.

[lonzo_pelota]

if she doesn't need a vape pen she could clean up in other countries

[SelfishPlayer]

She'll simply have to build that league up like Wilt, Magic & Bird, Jordan, LeBron & Steph have done the NBA.

right mindset, bird made like 600k in his rookie year. make the number go up.

JJ Reddick called old school basketball players plumbers. The WNBA will have to go through that phase just like the men. 600k in today's economy is a little bit more than what top professionals make on average (surgeons).

[GSWFan1994]

Sorry what team do you play for again?

And your contracted team is?

Both his comment and yours possess logical fallacies. Don't do that.

I’ve played college ball and been scouted to play overseas. But that’s not the point, most people from a background of highly competitive bball wouldn’t expect all time great players to just throw empty praise at CC non stop. The expectation is ridiculous.


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[SkyBill40]

I dont think so. Clark made waves mostly because the NCAA tournament is 1 and done.

The elephant in the room for the tournament was the lil racial thing that was going on. They will need a rivalry for the WNBA to grow to its fullest potential .........which is adding about 17 viewers.

What racial thing?

He's probably referencing the thing last year between LSU's Reese and Iowa's Clark.

[dhsilv2]

It is all relative, 76k a year would be insane money to me even today, but in USA economy I believe it would be perceived low even for non athlete? When I was growing up, my mother raised me, what at a time, dollar being way stronger, was an equivalent of maybe 1k per year...

That said, we need to remember how much bigger NBA salaries are, compared yo even other players playing same sport. Best non NBA players will get 3 mil tops, you can still buy good Euroleague player for 600k, and majority of pro basketball players around the world, are still way worse than a good Euroleague player. In my country, even some lesser known clubs players are nationally known, but I doubt many of them get 76k a year.

Vaidas Kariniauskas, who even made national team, I mean he only made it cause like 10 best guys refused to play this past year, but he still made it, and famously ended up trashing team USA and Austin Reaves in particular, I believe his contract prior to that game was below 30k...

You can make $40k a year flipping burgers in California. Literally

Not in 4-5 months though.

WNBA is 40 game regular season, 3 rounds of playoffs, 3 game series round 1 and 5 game series semi-final and finals.

So even if one is comparing to the NBA, you would have to compare it to 1/2 NBA salary.

I believe WNBA players get less of their BRI though, that would be where they can make gains, but comparing their salaries to NBA in general is pointless and doesn't help anyone.

there are some rumblings about how she's so underpaid. we'll probably hear from wnba players who are gonna jump on that and try to get paid like guys again.

WNBA players aren't idiots, but are they getting the same % of BRI as NBA players? That's what can be argued for, obviously they can't actually ask to be paid the same numbers.

There are fixed costs to run a business. The bigger the total pie, the more the players can ask for. You can't ask for the same cut percentage wise of a smaller pie.

[dhsilv2]

Salary aside I completely disagree with the " it's for 5 months of work" professional athletes are a full time 12 month long job with some time off at certain times.

If you trained for your job you'd say it was working too. If she doesn't train she doesn't get that money.

Not to mention game film study, media appreances etc etc.

Always an annoying thing I see mentioned about Sports players in general.

Do you consider continued education as work? Is going to bed on work nights "work"?

Working out a few hours a week to keep yourself in shape. Eating and sleeping right are all things we'd all be better off doing for our jobs too. Obviously more important for them. But as everyone points out, it's common for women to go play over seas and get another pay check...

[perempe20]

She'll make majority of her money from endorsement

I doubt these endorsments would be available for her playing in Big3.

[durden_tyler]

Vastly underpaid as most NBA players are overpaid so the NBA scrubs can just donate to her. LOL

[Champ1on]

The WNBA loses money. They would be gone now if they weren't subsidized by the NBA. If people are complaining about the players low pay then watch their games and get them sponsors.

[deneem4]

Vastly underpaid as most NBA players are overpaid so the NBA scrubs can just donate to her. LOL

Didn’t kyrie do that for like they whole league while he couldn’t play