Caitlin Clark could have billion dollars worth to WNBA as star power reaches unforeseen levels

Caitlin Clark is unquestionably the biggest star in the history of the WNBA.Just how much of a one-woman show she’s become has become more clear.According to Ryan Brewer, an associate professor of finance at Indiana University Columbus, the Indiana Fever guard generated a whopping 26.5 percent of the entire league’s economic activity last year.He then made a bold prediction.“If things just go as they were, and we have an expanded season of 22 home games with modest inflation, I’m looking at $875 [million],” Brewer said to NBC News about Clark’s potential monetary value for the 2025 season.“And I could easily see that eclipsing a billion dollars on the economic impact of Caitlin Clark this year.”Brewer, who previously did the calculations for the Indianapolis Star, is an expert at valuations and came up with the number in part due to revenue from merchandise, ticket sales and TV ratings. The league, growing in popularity for years, expanded this year for the first time since 2008 with the entry of the Golden State Valkyries.Two more franchises will debut next season, with franchises in Portland and Toronto.Next year will also be the start of the league’s 11-year media rights deal that’s worth a reported $2.2 billion.Those numbers helped convince the players union to opt out of the league’s collective bargaining agreement last year.

The two sides are talking about a new deal which could lead to increased salaries.Incredibly, Clark — one of the most recognizable names in all of sports since her days starring at the University of Iowa — made just $76,535 as a rookie and is due only a modest increase this year.In another display of her popularity, Clark has a $28 million endorsement deal with Nike.Her stardom shows no signs of slowing down, as the Fever averaged 17,035 fans last year — more than the Indiana Pacers.Throughout the WNBA, the average attendance jumped to 9,807 last year from 6,615 in 2023. And already this season, the Fever’...