President Joe Biden is weighing in on the pay disparity between men and women basketball players and demanding that women are ‘paid their fair share’ after it was revealed just how massive a pay difference there is between WNBA and NBA rookie contracts.
‘Women in sports continue to push new boundaries and inspire us all. But right now we’re seeing that even if you’re the best, women are not paid their fair share,’ Biden wrote in a post on X.
The internet lit up after it was revealed 22-year-old basketball sensation Caitlin Clark, first pick in the WNBA draft on Monday, would earn just $76,535 in her first WNBA season as part of her rookie contract with the Indiana Fever.
By comparison, the No. 1 men’s draft pick, Victor Wembanyama, earned $12,160,680 in his first season with the San Antonio Spurs.
‘It’s time that we give our daughters the same opportunities as our sons and ensure women are paid what they deserve,’ Biden wrote.
Caitlin Clark posing for a photo with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected first overall by the Indiana Fever in the first round of the WNBA draft on Monday
Biden weighing in on X and calling for women to be ‘paid what they deserve’ as people sound off online over Caitlin Clark’s first year earnings when compared to NBA rookies
President Biden at a coffee shop accompanied by Scranton’s Mayor Paige Gebhardt on April 17
Clark’s performance in the basketball court during this year’s NCAA tournament riveted the nation, with Iowa Hawkeyes games breaking viewership records.
For the first time ever, the NCAA women’s basketball championship pulled in more viewers than the men’s game.
ESPN announced 2.45 million people tuned in to watch the Indiana Fever take Clark on Monday as the No. overall pick in the WNBA draft, crushing the previous viewership record of just over 601,000.
But even as all eyes are on Clark, she will be earning less money in her first year WNBA contract than some NBA mascots make.
Clark will earn $338,056 over the course of her four years in Indiana.
She will sign a three year contract with an option for a fourth year.
Clark would earn $76,535 in year one. That goes up to $78,066 in year two and $85,873 in year three. If she takes the fourth year, she would earn $97,582.
Clark shoots against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the NCAA Championship on April 7. 18.7 million people tuned in to watch the game making it the most watched college women’s basketball game ever and surpassing viewership for the men’s championship game
Fortunately for Clark, she will have plenty of opportunities to participate in commercial opportunities off the court with sponsorship deals to supplement her measly WNBA income.
Her NIL (name, image and likeness) value was recently reported to be $3.4million.
The basketball superstar already has deals with State Farm Insurance, Nike, Gatorade, Buick, Hy-Vee and more.
The former Iowa star has become a household name in recent months and she will now try and help revive the Indiana franchise along with last season’s No. 1 pick, Aliyah Boston, who previously played with Clark on a USA Basketball Under-19 team.
She heads to the WNBA as the most successful college player in history, which has made her the new star of the sport.
Caitlin Clark had a star-studded welcome to Indy this morning 🌟 pic.twitter.com/d9FL9W6tTJ — Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) April 17, 2024
She received a major welcome arriving in Indianapolis on Wednesday.
‘I’m super happy to be here,’ Clark said at an introductory press conference.
‘This is a dream come true, like these are the moments you dream of,’ she said.
Clark said she could not think of a better place to start her career, calling it ‘a place that loves basketball, supports women’s basketball and an organization that really does things the right way.’
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