Serena William’s Husband Proposes How Fans Can Boost the Salary of Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark’s contract worth $338,056 over 4 years with the Indiana Fever is gaining a lot of traction. It is mainly because many have been able to point out the discrepancies while comparing her salary with NBA rookies. In contrast to Clark, NBA’s No.1 pick Victor Wembanyama signed a $13 million deal last summer. This has caused quite a concern among her fans as the numbers don’t do justice to the talent she possesses. Following that trail, a staunch supporter of Clark, Alexis Ohanian, evaluated her deal and suggested how fans could help improve that situation.

Tennis icon Serena Williams’ husband recently paid a visit to the Nike Global Headquarters. As per the Wall Street Journal, Caitlin Clark is closing in on a $28 Million, 8-year deal with the sneaker giants. However, as much as this association pleased him, Ohanian had some stern thoughts on the 6-ft guard’s WNBA salary. He said, “Caitlin allegedly has an eight-figure sneaker deal. It seems weird juxtaposed by a $76,000 Indiana Fever contract.” 

Following this, he pointed out that players are upset with both the institutions and fans for the lack of acknowledgment of women in sports. According to him, fans and women athletes have a symbiotic relationship. The fans’ engagement directly affects the salaries of the players. He also cited the example of how a surge in the popularity of his football team, Angel City FC, is directly proportional to their increased paychecks. Eventually, Ohanian concluded his argument by saying, “If you’re mad about Caitlin Clark’s salary, go to a WNBA match.” 

The more tickets sold for the games, the more revenue will be generated. It’ll also show that people are now genuinely interested in the league and this might result in more lucrative TV deals as well. This, in turn, should increase the value of the league and will put the teams in a position to offer better contracts to their players.

However, the stars coming into the league now don’t just have to depend on their WNBA contracts to earn money, as Clark’s deal with Nike proves. But did you know Nike was not the company that approached Clark with such a lucrative deal?

Caitlin Clark got overwhelming attention from the world’s top sneaker brands

It seems the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer is the top choice for all the major shoe companies at the moment. Apart from the multi-million dollar deal from Nike, Caitlin Clark was on the priority list of other heavyweights as well. Reportedly, German giants Adidas were willing to give $6 Million to Clark for endorsing their brand for 4 years. Similarly, Stephen Curry was also interested in signing the 6 ft guard.

His brand with Under Armour named SC-30 offered $16 Million for 4 years. Surprisingly, Puma dropped from the bidding process the moment they found out that valuations start from $3 Million per annum. 

These whopping figures are proof of what Caitlin Clark has done for the sport. The concerning thing that still remains is the widening gap between the NBA and WNBA salaries. Hopefully, the fans can force out some productive measures in this regard in the near future. Their participation and engagement remain the key to the enhancement of the league as a whole.