Por Marlene Lenthang – NBC News
College basketball superstar Caitlin Clark is about to reach a new milestone in the WNBA, but her rookie contract will allow her to pocket a fraction of the millions her male peers have earned on the hardwood.
The legend of the University of Iowa, who has already made history as the leading scorer in NCAA Division I basketball , signed a contract with the Indiana Fever after being chosen on Monday at number 1 in the draft of the WNBA.
The contract will pay Clark a salary of $338,056 over four years, according to the WNBA collective bargaining agreement.
Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship against the South Carolina Gamecocks on April 7, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.Steph Chambers/Getty Images
According to the 2024 WNBA rookie scale for numbers 1 to 4 of the draftClark will earn a base salary of $76,535 in the first year, $78,066 in the second, $85,873 in the third and an option of $97,582 in the fourth.
Despite his unprecedented star power, Clark’s salary is a tiny fraction of what male athletes earn in the NBA.
Those chosen in the WNBA draft from 2 to 4 – Cameron Brink, from Stanford, who went to the Los Angeles Sparks; South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso with the Chicago Sky; Rickea Jackson of Tennessee, also with the Sparks – will earn the same as Clark.
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For comparison, Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs rookie star and No. 1 in the draft of the NBA last year, he was awarded a four-year contract worth $55 million that allowed him to pocket $12.1 million in his first season, according to the athlete contract tracker Spotter.
Although Clark is likely to make much more income through endorsements and sponsorships, social media was outraged by the glaring pay disparity between the WNBA and the NBA.
TODAY show host Hoda Kotb said Tuesday morning: “The games are already sold out. It has had the highest viewership ratings, its teams and the Final Four have had the highest viewership ratings, higher than the World Series, higher than the NBA. So I wondered how much they are going to pay him. Because, finally, you can get a nice check. Then I saw it and I said to myself: this can’t be right.”
Co-host Jenna Bush Hager added: “Honestly, the difference is so striking. […] We are talking about equal pay. “It’s not even close.”
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They noted that things are likely to change in the future, as games have sold out and viewership, which has historically lagged behind the NBA, has skyrocketed, in part due to Clark’s popularity.
The president, Joe Biden, said on Tuesday in a message on the social network they continue to overcome new goals and they inspire us all.”
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“But right now we are seeing that, even if you are the best, women are not paid what they deserve,” the president commented. “It’s time we give our daughters the same opportunities as our sons and make sure women are paid what they deserve.”
Male athletes also spoke out about the gap.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson shared a message about Clark’s salary on social network […] Praying for the day to come.”
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“To the people who say it doesn’t matter what Caitlin Clarks salary is because she will make millions through endorsements, it actually does matter,” wrote one user on X.
“Presumably she will make money from endorsements, but Caitlin Clark’s salary in the WNBA is less than that of a nurse, a teacher or a police officer,” another added.
Journalist Lisa Ling wrote in Instagram: “Steph Curry makes more per game than Caitlin Clark will make for 4 years! With the toll that sport and travel take on women’s bodies, is this even a living wage? I know WNBA games haven’t generated nearly comparable numbers, but this is embarrassing. Do something better for all our athletes.”
The fight for more equitable pay in women’s basketball has been long.
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“From a salary standpoint, it would be great if women could make more money,” said WNBA legend Lisa Leslie on an episode of The Shop: Uninterrupted, during a conversation with fellow basketball stars LeBron James and Draymond Green. .
“It’s a lot of hard work. I think I saw something that said that a player who makes about 12 million dollars on an NBA team can cover the salaries of the entire WNBA. It’s crazy,” she added.
The WNBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News.
2024-04-17 00:36:00
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