Caitlin Clark snubbed a reported six-figure offer to join the startup Unrivaled basketball league.
But the WNBA superstar still soared into the world’s top 10 female athletes despite her $100,000 annual salary.
Clark has brought women’s basketball into a new era[/caption]
After capitalizing on NIL deals being allowed in college sports, Clark shot to fame while at Iowa.
She signed up with Nike and State Farm as the endorsements came flooding in.
Those deals are worth a combined $11million annually – enough to come 10th in Sportico’s list.
Nike is the biggest contributor with $3million annually and a shoe deal out next year – Wilson, Hy Vee, Xfinity, Gainbridge, and Lilly are among the other brands working with the Indiana Fever star.
Women’s sports have seen a dramatic rise in popularity as TV ratings, attendances, and sponsorship deals grow.
Per Sportico, the top 15 athletes will earn $221million in 2024 – 27% more than last year.
To put things in perspective, Cristiano Ronaldo tops the rankings for men with $260million, per Forbes.
The 39-year-old is earning $200million annually to ply his trade in the Saudi Pro League and pockets a staggering $60million on top via endorsements.
Clark’s impact on women’s basketball has been seismic but she trails far behind leader Coco Gauff.
The tennis star finished No. 1 for the second year in a row thanks to earning $30.4million, $21million of which came from endorsements.
Gauff is in rare company with her $30million-plus earnings[/caption]
Biles makes nearly all of her money through commercial deals[/caption]
She is just the third woman in sports ever to earn over $30million with fellow tennis stars Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams the others.
It comes after a year in which Gauff won her first ever WTA Finals title, but fell short of adding a second singles Grand Slam title.
US-born Chinese skier Eileen Gu was second thanks entirely to her $22million sponsorships.
The next five – Iga Swiatek ($21.4million), Zheng Qinwen ($20.6million), Arnya Sabalenka ($17.7million), Osaka (15.9million), and Emma Raducanu ($14.7million) all come from tennis, where prize money is shared equally between the sexes.
Nelly Korda is the highest-ranked golfer on $14.4million with Simone Biles completing the top 10.
The decorated Olympian’s $135,000 salary came in just ahead of Clark but $11million of endorsements came in thanks to the Paris Games.
Entering her sophomore season, Clark is set to feature in these lists for years to come and could well move up.
She was included in Forbes’ group of 30 stars under 30 to look out for in December.
“The first overall pick in 2024’s WNBA draft, Caitlin Clark led the resurgent Indiana Fever to their first playoff appearance in eight years while breaking the league’s single-season assists record and earning Rookie of the Year honors,” her profile read.
“She also led WNBA All-Star Game voting with over 700,000 ballots and has been credited with pushing up league viewership and attendance.”
Clark’s reason for sitting out of the Unrivaled 3×3 tournament was to take a hard-earned break and enter next season fresh.
She will be working with a new coach, Stephanie White, who has big plans for the talented guard.
“I just can’t wait,” White told Malika Andrews. “She’s just a student of the game. She loves the game of basketball.
“She has been so great in how she has handled all of the attention. She just wants to play, she just wants to win, and I’m looking forward to coaching players like that in this young team and taking our next steps.
“I’ve been watching Caitlin play since she was an eighth grader when I was coaching at the college [level] and covering her games.
“[It’s] just an exciting time for me. [I’m] very excited to be working with her and this young team.”
