What Should Be Done About the Gender Pay Gap in Sports?
Caitlin Clark’s rookie salary in the W.N.B.A. is a fraction of the multimillion dollar contract that Victor Wembanyama signed last year.
By Jeremy Engle
April 29, 2024
Caitlin Clark, the electrifying basketball point guard for the University of Iowa, ended an extraordinary, record-breaking year on a high note when she was selected first in the W.N.B.A. draft on April 15.
But when it emerged that Clark’s salary — $338,056 over the next four years — was a fraction of the $55 million contract signed by Victor Wembanyama, last year’s top N.B.A. draft pick, many people in the sports world and beyond were shocked and dismayed.
The disparity in the two contracts has drawn intense scrutiny during a pivotal moment for sports, even prompting critical comments from President Biden. What’s your reaction to Clark’s rookie salary? Do you think the superstar sharpshooter, and female athletes in general, is being paid unfairly? What does her contract say about the state of women’s athletics?
In “Biden Weighs in on Caitlin Clark Salary Debate After W.N.B.A. Draft,” Neil Vigdor writes about the reaction to Clark’s contract:
President Biden jumped into a debate about gender and sports this week, calling for pay equity for women athletes after Caitlin Clark, the University of Iowa basketball standout, was selected first in the W.N.B.A. Draft.
Ms. Clark’s salary will be far less than that of her male counterparts. Mr. Biden, writing on X on Tuesday, said that for all their accomplishments in sports, women athletes were undervalued.
“Right now we’re seeing that even if you’re the best, women are not paid their fair share,” he said. “It’s time that we give our daughters the same opportunities as our sons and ensure women are paid what they deserve.”
Mr. Biden was nodding to a banner moment for women’s basketball, one powered by stars like Ms. Clark, who was chosen by the W.N.B.A.’s Indiana Fever, and Paige Bueckers of the University of Connecticut and Angel Reese of L.S.U.
But Ms. Clark’s salary will amount to $338,056 over the next four years, under the W.N.B.A.’s collective bargaining agreement. The total is a fraction of the contract of Victor Wembanyama, whom the San Antonio Spurs chose with the top pick in last year’s N.B.A. Draft. His contract was for $55 million, according to Spotrac, a website that tracks salaries in sports.
The disparity has drawn intense scrutiny during a pivotal moment for sports, particularly in college athletics. Students have gained the opportunity to monetize their athletic success through name, image and likeness, or N.I.L. deals, that can earn top stars like Ms. Clark millions of dollars. But the overall compensation of women in sports is far outpaced by how much money male athletes make.
The women’s national championship game, in which Ms. Clark’s Iowa lost to South Carolina, earned higher ratings for the first time than the men’s championship contest between UConn and Purdue.
In a related piece, “The Big Number: $76,535,” Marie Solis takes a closer look at the economics of why Clark will be paid so little as a player for the Indiana Fever compared with what her male counterparts in the N.B.A. make:
The longstanding disparity between the men’s and women’s teams has to do with the leagues’ finances.
The pot of money for players’ salaries is based on a percentage of revenue: While the N.B.A. generates annual revenue of about $10 billion, the W.N.B.A. pulls in about $200 million a year, and the men get a larger percentage of their league’s revenue than the women do.
But that could change, in part because of Clark. Sales of Clark’s Fever jersey at Fanatics, the digital sportswear retailer, broke its draft-night record for any draft pick in any sport. She also drew millions more viewers to ESPN’s coverage of the draft, and teams are anticipating a spike in ticket sales to W.N.B.A. games.
Clark is also likely to have other sources of income. She is nearing a $20 million deal with Nike, according to The Athletic.
Students, read the entire article and then tell us:
What is your reaction to Clark’s rookie contract with the Indiana Fever? Do you think it’s fair that her four-year salary of $338,056 is a small fraction of Wembanyama’s $55 million contract?
On the social media platform X, Biden said: “Right now we’re seeing that even if you’re the best, women are not paid their fair share. It’s time that we give our daughters the same opportunities as our sons and ensure women are paid what they deserve.” Do you agree? What message does the salary disparity between Clark and Wembanyama send to female athletes — and to the young women aspiring to play professionally one day?
Solis points out that the N.B.A. generates an annual revenue of about $10 billion, while the W.N.B.A. pulls in about $200 million a year. Is the gender pay gap simply a reflection of economics? Or do you think other factors are at play, too?
What do you think should be done about the gender pay gap in professional basketball and in all sports? What can sports leagues and governing bodies, colleges and universities, media companies and fans do to make sure that female athletes receive the respect and pay they deserve in our society?
Are you a Clark fan? Will you be following her and the W.N.B.A. when the season starts on May 14? Do you think Clark will continue to excel on the court and draw soaring ticket sales and television ratings in the W.N.B.A., as she did in college?
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