Caitlin Clark has made waves far beyond the basketball court, cementing her status as a sports icon by debuting at number 10 on Sportico’s list of the highest-paid female athletes for 2024. Her $11.1 million in total earnings places her among the elite, sparking both admiration and humor from fellow athletes.

With a unique blend of skill and marketability, Clark is not just redefining her own career but also setting new benchmarks for women in sports. And it seems her impact is felt everywhere—even at the dinner table.

On a recent episode of A Touch More, Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe couldn’t resist commenting on Clark’s meteoric rise. “Caitlin Clark debuts at number 10 in Sportico’s highest-paid female athletes list, bringing in $11.1 million in total earnings. We will never pay for dinner when we go out with her again,” Bird quipped.

She wasn’t done, as she playfully also added Coco Gauff to the joke while stating in the podcast, “While Coco Gauff is at number one for the second year in a row earning $30.4 million, we haven’t gone to dinner with her yet, but also not paying for anything.”

The banter underscored a remarkable trend in women’s sports. According to Sportico, the 15 highest-paid female athletes collectively earned $221 million in 2024, a 27% increase from the previous year. Notably, 11 athletes earned at least $10 million, compared to just six in 2023. This surge reflects the growing opportunities and the rising marketability of female athletes across different sports.

At the top of the list is tennis star Coco Gauff, whose $30.4 million haul includes $9.4 million in prize money and $21 million in endorsements. Gauff, just 20 years old, has deals with major brands like New Balance, UPS, and Rolex, with her second signature shoe recently launched. For Clark, whose endorsement earnings alone hit $11 million, the comparisons to such figures demonstrate her crossover appeal, even as basketball lags behind tennis in player earnings.

Caitlin Clark: Redefining basketball’s reach and changing the game

Clark’s rise is not without merit. In her rookie year with the Indiana Fever, she earned a base salary of $76,535, supplemented by performance bonuses, including $10,300 for being named to the All-WNBA First Team.

She became the first rookie since Candace Parker in 2008 to receive such an honor, a testament to her on-court prowess. Clark’s marketability, however, extends well beyond her stats. Her ability to capture fan enthusiasm and sponsor interest has positioned her as a trailblazer for women’s basketball.

What makes Clark’s presence on the Sportico list even more significant remains the sporting context. While tennis dominates the rankings with nine athletes, basketball had only one other representative in 2024. Yet Clark’s impact, both financially and culturally, signals the potential for basketball to expand its commercial footprint, especially with her last interview with TIME magazine.

Bird’s comments, while lighthearted, also highlight the camaraderie and mutual support within the sports community. As figures like Clark and Gauff continue to break records and redefine expectations, they also pave the way for others to follow. Whether it’s on the court or at a restaurant, the ripple effects of their success are impossible to ignore.

Clark’s story is still unfolding, but her influence is undeniable. As Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe humorously acknowledged, she’s not just inspiring a generation—she’s also making sure no one else picks up the check at the dinner table.