Is Caitlin Clark Really Worth $1 Billion to the WNBA?

Caitlin Clark’s rookie salary in the WNBA is $78,066 per year. But what is she really worth to the WNBA - and to the wider world of women’s sports? Zena talks to Ben and Sabreena about their recent reporting regarding that very question – and how that one inquiry – "what is Caitlin really worth?" – ripples out to touch nearly every aspect of the sport, from CBA negotiations to expansion, from NBA ties to Unrivaled, from NIL to media rights, and so much more. Plus, the crew checks in on news from around the WNBA, including Angel Reese’s recent comments about officiating and the newly drafted line-ups for the All-Star teams REFERENCES: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6480352/2025/07/08/angel-reese-wnba-officiating-fouls/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6479355/2025/07/07/phoenix-mercury-dewanna-bonner-sign-all-star/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6460500/2025/06/30/caitlin-clark-fever-wnba-salary/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5786906/2024/09/23/caitlin-clark-wnba-ratings-attendance-rookie/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6475357/2025/07/09/shai-gilgeous-alexander-angel-reese-nba-2k26/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6482134/2025/07/09/cleveland-detroit-wnba-expansion/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6481927/2025/07/08/aja-wilson-la-vegas-aces-wrist-injury/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6481839/2025/07/08/caitlin-clark-napheesa-collier-wnba-all-star-draft/ 00:00 - Intro 00:47 - Officiating in the WNBA / Angel Reese’s Comments 05:49 - Other news around the WNBA 07:34 - All-Star Team Line-ups 09:25 - How much is Caitlin Clark really worth? 14:13 - How Caitlin’s value grew so quickly 17:43 - Why Caitlin is likely worth $1B to the WNBA 21:58 - Money in the WNBA: Revenue, Profits, Ownership Splits 25:43 - The Impact of the Bubble season on WNBA revenues 28:36 - Revenue Sharing and the CBA Negotiations 33:21 - The lack of transparency in WNBA financials 38:52 - Money in Unrivaled vs WNBA 43:53 - Why NBA owners want to invest in the WNBA 48:19 - Set Your Screens: What to Watch this Weekend #wnba #allstar #caitlinclark Thumbnail: Michael Hickey via Getty Images Follow and listen to the audio podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/no-offseason-the-athletic-womens-basketball-show/id1699815468 Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at NoOffseason@TheAthletic.com. You can also find us on socials: -Instagram: @tanooffseason -TikTok: @no_offseason -Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita -Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman -Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm -Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports Hub: https://sports.yahoo.com/womens-sports/?guccounter=1