Sports
What is Caitlin Clark's value to WNBA? A huge chunk of its $200-million revenue, expert says
The champagne hadn’t even dried after the New York Liberty won the WNBA championship when the players association announced it would opt out of the league’s collective bargaining agreement, which was set to expire in 2027.
A dramatic increase in revenues due primarily to the emergence of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and other marquee rookies prompted the players to recognize they aren’t getting what they believe to be a fair share. The CBA now ends after the 2025 season, blowing up a pay scale that set average salaries at about $120,000, with rookie minimums at $64,154 and veteran maximums at $241,984.
Clark’s four-year rookie contract under the CBA was for $338,056 — including $76,535 in 2024 — laughably low numbers given the revenue she helped generate. Clark broke almost every WNBA rookie record, but more impressive was her off-the-court impact.
“The numbers are so staggering,” said Ryan Brewer, associate professor of finance at Indiana University Columbus, who was asked by the Indianapolis Star to put a price tag on Clark. “They don’t even seem real.”
The numbers, as crunched by Brewer:
- Clark was responsible for 26.5% of WNBA economic activity for the 2024 season, including attendance, merchandise sales and television. One of every six tickets sold at a WNBA arena can be attributed to Clark.
- Total WNBA TV viewership due to Clark is up 300%, and 45% of total broadcast value came from Fever games.
- WNBA merchandise sales rose 500%, with Clark ranking No. 1 followed by Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese.
- The Fever’s regular-season attendance averaged a record 17,036 per game, and the team’s total attendance of 340,715 also was a record.
- Clark’s regular-season games were watched by 1.2 million viewers on average, which was 200% more than games in which she didn’t play.
No wonder the players opted out of the current CBA, with the Women’s National Basketball Players Assn. stating its position succinctly with a video to X that proclaimed, “It’s business. We’re out.”
The WNBA signed a new media rights deal in July worth a reported $200 million a year, more than three times the current package. However, a question that will be raised during CBA negotiations is whether the surge in fan interest and revenue will continue or abate over time.
That’s why the WNBA media rights deal pales in comparison to the NBA’s new TV agreement with Disney (ABC and ESPN), Comcast (NBC and Peacock) and Amazon (Prime Video). Those outlets will air the league’s nationally televised games for 11 seasons beginning in 2025-26 and the NBA will be paid about $76 billion.
“As this continues to materialize, the corporate side, the business side, not the players union, but the other sides, are going to continue to watch to see that these numbers can stabilize and maintain rather than just spike and drop again,” Brewer said. “That’s what they’re afraid of. And that’s what’s keeping the numbers low.”
Clark, meanwhile, is doing quite well financially despite her low salary. Sportico on Wednesday published a list of the highest paid female athletes, and Clark was ranked No. 10, just behind Simone Biles. Clark, the only basketball player on the list, earned $11.1 million in 2024. (On top of the list for the second year in a row was tennis star Coco Gauff, who made $30.4 million in prize money and endorsements.)
Endorsements make up the bulk of Clark’s income. She gets $3.5 million a year from an eight-year contract with Nike and also has deals with Gatorade, Gainbridge, Hyvee, Xfinity, Wilson, Buick and State Farm Insurance.
Most WNBA players, of course, have only a small fraction of that sort of endorsement income. They must rely on their salaries, which many supplement by playing overseas during the WNBA offseason.
Only 9.3% of league revenues of $200 million in 2024 went to player salaries, according to Bloomberg. That’s less than $20 million. Meanwhile, NBA players share 50% of their league revenue, which in 2023 meant $5.3 billion of $10.6 billion.
Few argue against a larger slice of WNBA revenues going toward player salaries, and precise numbers will be hammered out in CBA negotiations a year from now. Until then, the best evidence players can point to would be continued growth in attendance, TV viewership and merchandise sales.
And Clark’s contribution undoubtedly will remain a major factor.
Sports
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is sneakily becoming an all-time NBA scorer
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander puts a lot of effort into his appearance. Fashion is a clear passion. His postgame news conferences double as video shorts for Harper’s Bazaar.
I am impressed by a player who can pull off something shimmery or wear fur up to his chin while sporting a do-rag and dark sunglasses. Far be it for me to pose as a fashion critic. This is not an assessment of whether he pulls it off, though I’d say he absolutely does. I dress like a journalist styled by deadlines concerned only with a nice pair of sneakers and something that disguises the coffee I’m sure to spill on my hoodie. My fashion critiques are useless.
But the SGA off the court and the version of him in the Oklahoma City Thunder uniform represent a striking juxtaposition. The former tries really hard to be stunning. The latter makes it look so effortless.
Gilgeous-Alexander is not just an elite scorer; he’s so, so smooth with it. Watching him get buckets is almost therapeutic. Right before our eyes, he’s blossomed into a historic scoring machine. His handle is silkier than one of his half-buttoned shirts. He doesn’t wow you with dribble moves, but he handles the rock so fluidly. His moves and counters. The improvisational way he manipulates leverage and shifts into spaces. And it’s all punctuated with a midrange jumper that ol’ heads would call butter.
SGA is one to watch as the NBA Cup transitions to the quarterfinals. One of the benefits of this in-season tournament — and the hype surrounding it — is gems like Gilgeous-Alexander get to shine. In a league that loves showcasing its prolific offensive players, he is unique among the game’s best.
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A big game from Giannis Antetokounmpo is like a muscle car with Flowmasters roaring through a school zone. Nothing about Jayson Tatum’s scoring looks easy.
Ever see Luka Dončić go off? It’s spectacular. But he makes it look so laborious. You need a cigarette and a cold one afterward just from watching.
Anthony Edwards is simply exciting. He’s all flair. As is Nikola Jokić. Even though Joker is smooth in his own right, it just has the subtlety of an elephant C-walking to “Not Like Us.” His version of smoothness is seizing.
SGA sneaks up on you. He just goes to work, and you look up and he’s got 30 again. Like he rolls out of bed to 20 points.
He’s the new Kevin Durant in that sense. You know how KD makes putting the ball in the basket feel like breathing? How it feels so automatic as to be inevitable? SGA is of that ilk. Smooth for no reason. He scores like cats walk. Like Les Twins dance. Like Penelope Cruz says “Nespresso.”
Gilgeous-Alexander already is on pace for a third season averaging 30 points per game or more. If he does, he’d be one of 16 players in NBA history to average 30 or more three times. (Giannis also is on pace for his third such season.) Only 23 players have multiple seasons averaging 30-plus.
Even SGA’s free-throw grifting is slick. He’s fourth in attempts this season, behind Giannis, Anthony Davis and James Harden.
SGA often looks unstoppable. Yet, his career-high is only 45. This is his seventh season, and he’s scored 40 or more only 14 times.
His modus operandi isn’t especially explosive. He doesn’t often get hot and go wild. He’s not one for superb peaks and periodic valleys.
Gilgeous-Alexander is just at the same level. Perennially. Humbly, even. Cooking defenses like it’s a 9-to-5. Over the last two-plus seasons, totaling 164 games, he has just 10 games where he’s failed to score 20.
Not too high. Not too low. Just in the same groove. Unimpeded by smaller defenders or bigger ones, quicker ones or stronger ones. At 6-foot-6, he has just enough athleticism and strength and leaping ability to counter just about any defense.
If SGA continues at this current pace, he will be the 10th player to average 30 in three straight seasons. The other nine: Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Adrian Dantley, Bob McAdoo, James Harden and Joel Embiid. Yes, Gilgeous-Alexander is already among the upper echelon of bucket-getters.
Durant has only averaged 30 twice. Same for Stephen Curry, Rick Barry and George Gervin, among others.
What’s even rarer about SGA is his road to success. He’s become this unstoppable scorer despite not entering the NBA as such. He averaged 14.4 points his one season at Kentucky and was drafted two picks after college teammate Kevin Knox.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 10.8 points as a rookie despite 73 starts. That puts him in another rare group along with Giannis, Kobe Bryant and Harden. They are the four players in NBA history who have averaged 30 points in a season after averaging fewer than 11 points as a rookie.
Most of the NBA’s great single-season scorers came into the league getting buckets. Of the 37 players all-time who have averaged 30 points in a season, 16 of them averaged at least 20 points as rookies. Another nine averaged at least 15.
Most of the bunch were scorers from the beginning of their careers, better than two-thirds. They announced themselves early. You knew what they were in the league to do.
SGA kinda sneaked up on us. Slithered into rarified air. Most had never heard of him until he was the key piece in a massive deal for Paul George. Now at 26, he’s already a more accomplished offensive weapon than PG.
And SGA’s 3-ball isn’t refined yet. He shot 40.4 percent in college but is hitting just 34.8 percent over his pro career. He’s got the form and the touch. It figures to get to where he’s knocking down the 3 at a higher clip.
Could he be the next 30,000-point scorer? He’ll pass 10,000 this season. He could be at 20,000 by year No. 12. The pace tracks.
Sure, Gilgeous-Alexander defends and passes, and he is growing as a leader. But, man, just watch him work on offense. With the ball in his hands, anywhere near the free-throw line and the defender at his mercy, peep the rhythm of his flow. The simplicity of his jumper. The reliability of its conversion. The matter-of-factness in his demeanor. The fashion in which he dominates.
The fur coat and do-rag are but accessories.
(Top photo: Joshua Gateley / Getty Images)
Sports
Travis Kelce bristles at watching Taylor Swift Christmas movie favorite: 'Don’t f—ing torture me'
Travis Kelce may be dating the most famous woman in the world in Taylor Swift, but it does not appear their relationship of more than a year has changed him too much.
Kylie Kelce, Jason Kelce’s wife, called into the “New Heights” hotline during their latest episode on Wednesday. She wanted to nominate a movie for the next movie review and proposed the idea of Travis and Jason watching the movie “Love Actually” this Christmas season – a notable Taylor Swift favorite.
“‘Love Actually’ is a tremendous movie that you can really sit down with your significant others and enjoy because it’s not like one of your significant others hasn’t asked you to watch it multiple times and you said no every time,” she said, apparently referring to her husband. “So, this would be a great excuse to get you to watch it. OK, I hope you take this into consideration.”
Travis appeared to be looking up the movie while Kylie’s voice played.
“I think we both can probably agree we’re not doing ‘Love Actually,’” Jason said.
“Yeah, probably not,” Travis agreed. “I’ll do, like, a really good Christmas movie though.”
When Kylie said she would come on if they reviewed “Love Actually,” Travis did not think it would change anything about how they felt. Jason suggested he go on Kylie’s new podcast “Not Gonna Lie” and do the review.
TAYLOR SWIFT’S BOYFRIEND TRAVIS KELCE PRESSURED TO PROPOSE AFTER JOSH ALLEN GETS ENGAGED TO HAILEE STEINFELD
“Yeah, don’t f—ing torture me. Torture your husband,” Travis said. “I’m an innocent bystander here, Ky. Don’t f—ing come for me.”
Travis said coming to know Hugh Grant, one of the stars of the film, has made some of his movies more enjoyable. Travis also made sure to say he didn’t say he “wouldn’t enjoy ‘Love Actually’” he just didn’t want to review it.
Swift is a fan of the Grant, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley Christmas classic. She told Teen Vogue, “Did you ever watch the movie ‘Love Actually’ where Hugh Grant’s voiceover says, ‘If you look around, love actually is all around?’ That’s my favorite motto.”
Kylie echoed Swift about 10 years later.
Jason and Travis then agreed they would review “Love Actually” after some pressure from their producer as well as a movie the fans of the show picked out.
Jason did make clear that he did not want anyone to submit “Die Hard” as a Christmas movie to review. He declared the Bruce Willis action thriller was “not a Christmas movie.”
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Sports
Lawmakers, labor group push to protect NIL payouts from NCAA settlement deal
Two California lawmakers are pushing back against the idea that the proposed House settlement with the NCAA could restrict athletes from within the state receiving the unfettered access to name, image and likeness compensation to which they are entitled by law.
State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) were among a group of lawmakers who issued a statement Thursday saying state law should supersede any edict in a proposed settlement that would prohibit universities from complying with NCAA and conference NIL rules.
“Terms in the preliminary settlement in House vs. NCAA attempt to allow the NCAA and conferences to restrict our college athletes’ freedom to earn NIL compensation from boosters and NIL collectives, for example,” Skinner and Bradford said in a joint statement with Nebraska state Sen. Megan Hunt and Oregon state Sen. James Manning Jr. “However, this and other restrictions are illegal in our respective state.”
As part of the proposed House settlement, athletes would no longer receive compensation from NIL collectives, cutting off a massive stream of revenue. According to Opendorse, NIL compensation from collectives was expected to represent 82% of the estimated $1.6 billion in NIL compensation paid to athletes in 2024.
Lawmakers pointed out in their statement that California law forbids universities from prohibiting NIL compensation paid by athletic boosters and NIL collectives to athletes; from complying with or enforcing any conference or NCAA rules that restrict or prohibit NIL compensation paid by athletic boosters and NIL collectives to athletes; and from prohibiting conferences and the NCAA from restricting athletes’ NIL freedoms and compensation.
The lawmakers added that their respective states were not a party to the lawsuit and any settlement would not impact their states’ ability to enforce individual NIL laws. California is one of 17 states that prohibits restrictions on athletes’ NIL compensation and one of at least four states that allows universities to pay NIL compensation directly to athletes.
Ramogi Huma, a former UCLA linebacker and the executive director of the National College Players Assn., said he did not expect any universities to comply with House settlement restrictions on NIL because doing so would put them at a competitive disadvantage.
Even if the House settlement is denied, Huma said, college athletes in California should expect to receive direct pay from their schools because of state law. Huma said the NCPA was in the process of helping lawmakers in other states prepare similar legislation that would allow their universities to participate in NIL-based revenue sharing.
Since UCLA and USC will soon have a deluge of revenue from the Big Ten and College Football Playoff at their disposal to pay NIL compensation to their athletes, Huma said, other states are likely to adopt similar NIL laws to allow similar distributions.
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