Year of Caitlin Clark: Is She Still Undervalued?

Let me skip ahead, and just say – YES.

2024 is, without question, year of Caitlin Clark. She burst onto the scene as one of the top-paid female athletes in her rookie season, struck up a headline-grabbing friendship with Taylor Swift—who we already know can impact popularity of a whole league—and capped it all off as Time Magazine’s Athlete of the Year AND being named one of the world’s 100 most powerful women in 2024 by Forbes. All this in just her first year as a pro. Insane. 🐐

But here’s my take: Caitlin Clark is still being undervalued. Let’s not kid ourselves; her value was obvious before she even entered the WNBA draft. Everyone knew she was a game-changer. Her electrifying style of play, her charisma, and, of course, the rivalry with Angel Reese were already creating waves. She was never just another rookie—she was a force poised to shake up women’s basketball.

Yet, it feels like her sponsors are capitalizing faster than she is. Sure, this could be a long-term strategy, a calculated move to build her brand slowly and securely. But it could also be brands seeing an opportunity to benefit while she’s still finding her footing in the pro world.

Making the List of Top Paid Female Athletes

According to Sportico’s 2024 Top Paid Female Athletes list, Caitlin Clark has claimed the 10th spot as one of the best-paid female athletes in the world. As Badenhausen (2024) noted, Clark took the WNBA by storm in her rookie year, setting attendance and revenue records for a league that’s been around since 1997. Playing for the Indiana Fever, Clark didn’t just light up the court—she also pulled in an annual payday of $11.1 million, setting a WNBA record. Here’s the kicker: 99% of that income came from endorsements.

Now, let me be clear—seeing her earn a $76,535 base salary compared to NBA’s first draft pick, Zaccharie Risacher, raking in $12.6 million before even suiting up, is wild. But the reality boils down to one glaring difference: league revenue. The NBA ecosystem is a financial juggernaut, pulling together the most influential forces in sports—players, coaches, owners, and media—all feeding into a $10.58 billion annual revenue machine. Compare that to the WNBA’s estimated $200 million revenue (Jope, 2024). That gap explains the disparity, though it doesn’t make it any less frustrating.

The silver lining? If the WNBA can capitalize on the momentum that Clark and Angel Reese have brought to the game (which I included in my 2024 Sports Wrap), that revenue gap could start closing. Clark is already redefining what’s possible for the league, bringing in unforgettable season highlights, new fans, sponsorships, and relevance like no one before her.

All that said, $11.1 million still feels like a lowball for someone transforming the sport. Caitlin Clark deserves to be at the very top of the list of female earners—and in the future, she should be gunning for a spot among the highest-paid athletes, period.

Why Caitlin Clark is Still Considered Undervalued?

To really drive home the point of how much more Caitlin Clark should be earning, let’s dig into our research on hypegenic athletes—those rare players who not only dominate in their sport but also have that magnetic star power that creates hype, draws fans, brands, and revenue.

Extraordinary Value-Generating Results

Caitlin Clark’s impact on the WNBA—and sports in general—has been nothing short of a Christmas miracle. From her rivalry with Angel Reese to breaking records in nearly every category imaginable, Clark didn’t just make an impact; she set the stage for a revolution. But was her success truly unexpected? Well, not really.

Even during her college days, Clark’s marketability was crystal clear. Her branded merchandise sold faster than any other individual men’s or women’s NIL-era college athlete across all sports has sold since 2022 (Valinsky, 2024). So yes, her first year’s WNBA dominance was jaw-dropping, but if you’d been paying attention, the writing was already on the wall. And trust me, her sponsors knew that too.

Let’s see what impact did Clark had. According to Lundberg (2024), Clark and the WNBA have given the NBA some serious competition in the ratings department. While NBA regular-season games averaged 1.6 million viewers across major platforms, WNBA matchups weren’t far behind, averaging 1.19 million viewers on ESPN platforms and 1.1 million on CBS. And when we dive deeper, Fever games—Clark’s games—performed 199% better than the league average. That’s not just good; that’s game-changing.

In fact, Fever games often outperformed the NBA on NBA TV (Lundberg, 2024). Let that sink in. And then consider this: when Clark and Reese faced off, the game attracted 2.3 million viewers (Zucker, 2024), putting it among the top 20 most-watched NBA games. Not WNBA. NBA.

Then there’s the ticket revenue. The New York Liberty vs. Indiana Fever game broke the WNBA single-game revenue record, generating more than $2 million. That’s an all-time high for the league, and the game was sold out, with over 17,000 fans packing the arena (Feinberg, 2024). This wasn’t a one-off either. Fever games regularly sold out, and ticket sales soared 250% compared to last season.

Honestly, I could write an entire article just listing Clark’s record-breaking achievements, but for now, let’s hit the highlights.

What Was the Caitlin Clark Effect in WNBA?

• Record-breaking WNBA viewership
• Record-breaking WNBA game attendance
• Record-breaking one-game WNBA revenue
• Record-breaking trading card sale ($234,850)—#1 in women’s basketball and #2 in all women’s sports (Mick Talks Hoops, 2024)
• Indiana Fever jersey sales up 1,000%
• Indiana Fever ticket sales up 250%
• WNBA merchandise sales up 500%, with Clark (No. 1) and Reese (No. 2) leading in jersey sales (Giannotto, 2024)
• Fever jerseys sold out in 1 hour during the 2024 WNBA Draft (Conway, 2024)
• Clark outsold the entire Cowboys roster in jersey sales (Bilicki, 2024)
• WNBA draft averaged a record 2.45 million viewers, with viewership peaking at 3.09 million. Previous record – 601,000, in 2004 (Rajan, 2024).
• WNBA All-Star Game jerseys sold out in 15 minutes (Helmer, 2024)
• Clark’s signature basketball sold out in 40 minutes (Polacek, 2024)

If we analyze Clark through the lens of hypegenic traits, she’s already redefining women’s basketball. Her Rivalry with Reese isn’t just legendary; it’s a cornerstone of WNBA marketing. Her Cross-Industry Appeal is skyrocketing, with her personal success fueling the league’s growth like never before. Add in her phenomenal playing style, and she’s undeniably already has one of the highest scores on the hypegenic-meter this year.

And Timing? Could it have been better? The WNBA, on the rise, got a perfect storm of talent, charisma, and cultural relevance with Clark. It’s the kind of moment leagues dream of, and it’s why I believe her journey is just getting started.

Caitlin Clark and Taylor Swift: High-Profile Relationships

I’ve already discussed how Taylor Swift’s relationship with Travis Kelce gave the NFL an unexpected popularity boost, propelling Super Bowl LVIII to record-breaking viewership—even when it seemed like the league had already reached its peak.

With Swift’s influence cemented and Caitlin Clark’s meteoric rise, a crossover between these two worlds would practically break the internet. Whether it happens organically or is a master plan orchestrated by the NBA, one thing is clear: this kind of spotlight would supercharge the growth of the women’s basketball ecosystem.

Clark herself recently shared how she attended back-to-back Eras Tour performances during Taylor Swift’s Indianapolis shows at Lucas Oil Stadium in November. As if the experience wasn’t magical enough, Clark revealed she met Swift’s boyfriend and NFL star Travis Kelce (Anfitos, 2024).

Also, according to Anfitos (2024) Clark’s Eras Tour appearance didn’t go unnoticed by the queen of pop herself. Not only did Swift send Clark four bags of merch from the tour, but she also included a personal note. In the message, Swift reportedly praised Clark’s trailblazing career and extended an invitation to an upcoming Kansas City Chiefs game. The note also hinted that both Swift and Kelce are planning to attend an Indiana Fever game to watch Clark in action.

Now, when I previously assessed Clark’s Celebrity-Relationships score, I gave her a solid 4. But with this level of star-studded interaction, she’s rocketing toward an 8.

If Swift and Kelce—the most influential celebrity couple in the U.S.—show up courtside at a Fever game, it could elevate Caitlin Clark and the WNBA to stratospheric levels of popularity. Imagine the ripple effects: viral moments, trending hashtags, and the kind of buzz that solidifies Clark as not just a basketball star but a cultural icon, while also strengthening her Cross-Industry Impact.

Caitlin Clark Time Magazine Athlete of the Year

Sports icon status is usually reserved for athletes who spend years building legendary careers, but Caitlin Clark has achieved so much in such a short span that she’s already etched her name among the greats of women’s basketball. Her 2024 was nothing short of historic, capped by being named Time Magazine’s Athlete of the Year.

This honor places Clark in the company of sporting icons like LeBron James, Lionel Messi, and Simone Biles. As Time’s Sean Gregory (2024) wrote, Clark’s status as a sports icon is undeniable. Let me quickly sum up why Time singled her out.

Why Time Magazine Picked Caitlin Clark as Athlete of the Year

• Record-Breaking Scorer: Clark shattered the NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball scoring record in February, surpassing Pete Maravich to become the all-time scoring leader.
• Unprecedented Viewership: The NCAA championship game between Iowa and South Carolina, featuring Clark, drew an average of 18.9 million viewers—eclipsing every game of the 2024 NBA Finals and World Series. It marked the first time the women’s championship outdrew the men’s.
• Pro Dominance: In her rookie WNBA season, Clark broke records for most three-pointers in a season and set all-time league marks for assists in both a single season and a single game.
• Commercial Success: Clark signed a $28 million endorsement deal with Nike, the largest ever for a women’s basketball player.
• Driving WNBA Growth: Her games generated unprecedented buzz, setting new viewership records on ABC, CBS, ESPN, and ESPN2, while driving league-wide attendance up by 48%. Her team, the Indiana Fever, broke WNBA attendance records and had to move games to larger arenas to accommodate fans.
• Cultural Impact: Clark turned women’s basketball games into can’t-miss events. Her influence is being compared to Lionel Messi’s transformative impact on Major League Soccer and Michael Jordan’s revitalization of the NBA in the 1980s.

While Messi had decades of global recognition and Jordan benefited from the foundation laid by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, Clark is building momentum for women’s basketball practically from scratch—and she’s doing it in record time (Gregory, 2024).

Clark herself called 2024 “historic,” and it’s hard to argue otherwise. From smashing records to redefining how women’s sports are perceived, she has cemented herself as a transformative figure in sports (Gregory, 2024). And honestly? It feels like she’s just getting started.

What has to Change?

Caitlin Clark’s sponsors have undeniably hit the jackpot. Her golden touch transforms everything—from jerseys and basketballs to entire arenas—into instant sell-outs, record-breaking milestones, and seismic shifts in the sport. Add to that an endless stream of accolades, and you’ve got more than an athlete; you’ve got a cultural phenomenon. On a clear path to GOAT status, even the biggest names in entertainment can’t help but be drawn into her orbit. Honestly, there’s not much a brand could possibly ask for.

Nike’s 8-year, $28 million deal with Caitlin Clark is an absolute steal. And reportedly, Clark likely won’t even get her own signature shoe until 2026 (Zucker, 2024). It’s crazy to think that for investments that are more suitable for sports prospect, you get an immediate sports icon and future GOAT.

Comparatively, male NBA athletes like Damian Lillard ($100 million, 10 years – Adidas), Luka Doncic ($75 million, 5 years – Nike/Jordan), and Zion Williamson ($75 million, 7 years – Nike/Jordan) secured major endorsements early in their careers based on their collegiate or international success (See, 2024). Clark’s collegiate metrics were superior to those of these athletes, justifying a comparable or even greater deal (Raggiri, 2024).

So, here’s the question: what needs to change for Caitlin Clark to finally earn what she’s truly worth?

WNBA Ecosystem Growth

First and foremost, the WNBA needs to grow, and the NBA must step up to help capitalize on the massive opportunity at hand. The NBA already owns nearly 60 percent of the WNBA, and when factoring in NBA owners’ personal stakes in both WNBA teams and the league itself, that number jumps to 75 percent (Kosman & Lewis, 2024). After years of little profit from the WNBA, it’s clear that they need to—and are—doing everything they can to maximize this moment.

For the sports ecosystem to truly thrive, we need to look at all the elements that make the WNBA attractive to fans. From teams and athletes to owners, influential fans, and big-name media personalities advocating for the league, it’s a team effort. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have already set the stage, but more WNBA stars are needed to generate buzz, positive attention, and leave behind the petty and jealous bullshit, that Charles Barkley summed up so well:

“These ladies, and I’m a WNBA fan, they can not have f—— this Caitlin Clark thing up any worse if they tried. If you got people in a room — if you got a bunch of dudes in a room and said ‘Let’s f— up the WNBA,’ we couldn’t of came up with a master plan that these women have done. This girl is incredible. What she did in college for women’s basketball, what she’s doing in the WNBA… the number of eyeballs she’s brought to college and the pros, for these women to have this petty jealousness, you said it yourself, ‘Damn, what is going on here?’”

Barkley’s words are hard to argue with, and the WNBA absolutely needs to address this issue. Can you imagine NBA veterans harshly criticizing young players entering the league? Denying them the credit they’ve earned? Coming off as petty and jealous?

That sort of behavior would never fly in the NBA, and it’s on the league to ensure that the WNBA doesn’t fall into this next year. It’s time for the culture to shift, and the NBA should take the lead in making sure that happens.

Social Media Following; Brand and Cross-Industry Collaborations

On a personal note, Caitlin Clark has exploded in every conceivable way, shattering records and redefining women’s basketball. But despite her meteoric rise, there’s one area where she still has room to grow: her social media presence. With 3 million followers on Instagram, she’s certainly not lacking, but it’s nowhere near the level of influence some of the top athletes have. For comparison, Simone Biles has 13 million, Angel Reese (who’s been doing fantastic work building her own personal brand) has 5 million, and the NBA’s rising star, Victor Wembanyama, already has 4.3 million. Of course, basketball icon LeBron James tops them all with 160 million. So, Clark has plenty of room for growth.

Of course, if you want to talk disparity, consider this year’s NBA top pick, Zaccharie Risacher. With just over 180,000 followers, his contract seems hard to justify—unless you factor in the immense power of being part of the NBA ecosystem. This highlights how crucial the larger basketball environment is in determining an athlete’s paycheck.

That said, Clark’s relationship with Taylor Swift, her collaborations with high-profile brands, and the way she’s gradually building her cross-industry presence will eventually elevate her brand to the level it deserves. As her recognition grows, so will her earnings, and she will get the compensation that reflects her true worth.

Conclusion: Clark is Undervalued and Must be Paid Waaaaay More

If you still aren’t convinced Clark deserves a larger paycheck, just take a look at what Dr. Ryan Brewer, a renowned valuation expert, had to say about her economic impact. When asked to estimate Caitlin Clark’s financial worth to the WNBA, her city, and even the country during her rookie season with the Indiana Fever, the numbers were so staggering that Brewer initially thought he must have made a mistake (Hunsinger Benbow, 2024).

Brewer’s calculations reveal that Clark is responsible for a jaw-dropping 26.5% of the WNBA’s leaguewide activity in 2024, which includes everything from attendance and merchandise sales to TV viewership. For every six tickets sold at a WNBA arena, one can be attributed to Clark. Her influence on TV viewership alone resulted in a 300% increase, with Fever games contributing 45% of the total broadcast value. Merchandise sales for the league skyrocketed 500%, with Clark ranking number one in jersey sales.

On top of that, the Fever’s regular-season game attendance averaged more than 17,000 fans—marking the first time a WNBA team surpassed 300,000 fans in a season. Clark’s games attracted an average of 1.2 million viewers, which was 199% higher than non-Clark games.

But perhaps the most mind-blowing number of all is Clark’s impact on Indianapolis. Brewer estimates her economic influence on the city at over $36 million—still a fraction of the NBA All-Star Game’s $400 million boost, but impressive nonetheless.

Brewer summed it up perfectly: “That’s for one year. We’re talking about one player.”

So, brands better start preparing to pay up. This isn’t just the year of Caitlin Clark—it’s the beginning of the era of Caitlin Clark.

CITATION
Bakanauskas, P. (2024, December 13). Year of Caitlin Clark: Is She Still Undervalued? Play of Values. https://playofvalues.com/year-of-caitlin-clark/

IN-TEXT CITATION: (Bakanauskas, 2024)

List of References

1. Aniftos, R. (2024, December 10). Caitlin Clark says Taylor Swift invited her to watch a Kansas City Chiefs game. Billboard. Link.
2. Badenhausen, K. (2024, December 4). HIGHEST-PAID FEMALE ATHLETES 2024: COCO, CAITLIN AND KORDA SOAR. Sportico.com. Link.
3. Badenhausen, K. (2024a, December 4). CAITLIN CLARK’S WNBA SALARY ONLY 1% OF HER TOTAL 2024 EARNINGS. Sportico.com. Link.
4. Bilicki, D. (2024, April 22). Caitlin Clark beats the entire Dallas Cowboys roster in jersey sales. Toronto Sun. Link.
5. Conway, T. (2024, April 16). Caitlin Clark’s Fever jersey sells out of most sizes in 1 hour during 2024 WNBA draft. Bleacher Report. Link.
6. Feinberg, D. (2024, May 18). Clark helps Liberty become 1st WNBA team to have $2M+ in 1-game ticket revenue, AP source says. Yahoo Sports. Link.
7. Giannotto, M. (2024, July 24). Rookies Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese have WNBA’s top two selling jerseys amid record sales. USA Today. Link.
8. Gregory, S. (2024, December 10). 2024 Athlete of the Year: Caitlin Clark. TIME. Link.
9. Helmer, J. (2024, July 13). Caitlin Clark’s 2024 WNBA All-Star Game jerseys sell out in 15 minutes. Link.
10. Hunsinger Benbow, D. (2024, December 3). Clarkonomics: Dissecting the complexity of paying Caitlin Clark what she’s really worth. Indianapolis Star. Link.
11. Jope, C. (2024, October 7). NBA vs WNBA: Revenue, Salaries, Viewership, Attendance and Ratings. World Sports Network. Link.
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13. Kosman, J., & Lewis, B. (2024, October 18). Exclusive | WNBA will lose $40 million this season and its NBA investors are growing impatient. New York Post. Link.
14. Lundberg, R. (2024a, September 6). Caitlin Clark and Fever beat NBA in viewership. Women’s Fastbreak on SI. Link.
15. Lundberg, R. (2024, October 30). Caitlin Clark and WNBA have created ratings competition for NBA. Women’s Fastbreak on SI. Link.
16. Mick Talks Hoops. (2024, December 9). Caitlin Clark’s RECORD BREAKING card sells for more than a house. [Video]. YouTube. Link.
17. Polacek, S. (2024, September 12). Caitlin Clark’s Signature Basketball Sells Out in Under 40 Minutes amid WNBA Season. Bleacher Report. Link.
18. Raggiri, S. (n.d.). Caitlin Clark’s Nike Deal: The Pay Disparity. Fair Play. Link.
19. Rajan, R. (2024, April 24). 2024 WNBA draft presented by State Farm on ESPN delivers largest viewership ever. ESPN Press Room U.S. Link.
20. See, S. (2024, January 5). 12 most lucrative off-court NBA player deals of all time. ClutchPoints | NBA News; ClutchPoints. Link.
21. Valinsky, J. (2024, February 21). Caitlin Clark just broke another record. CNN Business. Link.
22. Zucker, J. (2024a, April 23). WNBA’s Caitlin Clark Reportedly Will Get $28M from Nike Shoe Contract. Bleacher Report. Link.
23. Zucker, J. (2024, June 18). Caitlin Clark, Fever vs. Angel Reese, Sky Most-Watched WNBA Game in 23 Years. Bleacher Report. Link.