Caitlin Clark Lifts WNBA TV Deal to $200 Million as Ratings Double
Updated
Updated · The FP · Aug 14
Caitlin Clark Lifts WNBA TV Deal to $200 Million as Ratings Double
2 articles · Updated · The FP · Aug 14
Summary
The WNBA’s economics have shifted sharply in the three years since Caitlin Clark entered the league, with teams now drawing sellout crowds—especially for Indiana Fever games—and the media-rights deal rising to $200 million from $50 million.
TV ratings have doubled over that span, giving the league broader reach and helping turn a once-marginal property into a more valuable one for broadcasters and sponsors.
Players are also seeing the gains directly: teams now fly by private jet instead of commercial, and salaries have climbed enough to reduce the need for offseason stints abroad.
The changes come as the WNBA marks its 30th anniversary, fueling comparisons between Clark’s impact and the role Larry Bird and Magic Johnson played in reviving the NBA after 1979.
Will Caitlin Clark's unprecedented financial ripple effect force the WNBA to prematurely renegotiate its brand-new 2026 collective bargaining agreement?
With European stars flooding the WNBA for record salaries, could this sudden international talent boom edge out domestic players?
Seattle's team valuation hit $425 million, but can independent women's sports franchises truly thrive if male leagues return to their cities?