Caitlin Clark can make the entire WNBA rich
The 2024 WNBA season was historic, enjoying unprecedented growth. Much of this attention is attributed to Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.
In college, she single-handedly elevated college basketball. Her transition to the WNBA was remarkably smooth, setting multiple WNBA records en route to being named WNBA Rookie of the Year.
The numbers tell a story that places Clark among some of the most influential players ever to play not only in the WNBA, but also in the same stratosphere as NBA players who left indelible marks on their game.
WNBA attendance is off the charts
Prior to the 2024 season, the highest average home attendance ever for any WNBA team was 16,202, set in 2002 by the Washington Mystics. This record was not eclipsed until 2024, with the Fever averaging 17,036 per game.
To put this number into perspective, the second-highest average home attendance in 2024 was 12,729 for the New York Liberty, the reigning WNBA champion. In addition, the Fever's average home attendance in 2023 was 4,066, ranking it second-to-last amongst all WNBA teams. This means that the Fever's 2024 average home attendance was over four times higher than their 2023 average home attendance.
This captures the Caitlin Clark Effect.
It follows the Fever on the road. Their 2024 average road attendance was 15,131, over 4,400 more people than the second-highest road attendance average (for the Chicago Sky, 10,676, with rookie phenom Angel Reese on their roster). Not surprisingly, the largest home attendances for eight of the other 11 WNBA teams occurred when they played the Fever.
The scarcity of tickets for Fever games has pushed ticket prices in the secondary market to unprecedented levels.
The Caitlin Clark Effect is more than just hype
How can a single person have such an enormous influence on a team, let alone an entire sport?
Anyone who has watched Clark play knows why. She thrills fans with creative passing and a willingness to take long-range threes. Every possession has the potential to be magical.
The Caitlin Clark Effect extends beyond the Fever and even the WNBA. Women's basketball is already very popular in high school and at the college level. Clark will give even more young girls and women a reason to pursue the opportunity to 'play like Cait."
Yet, Clark's arrival has highlighted several issues of fairness.
Objectively, arguments that WNBA and NBA players should be paid the same are misguided. Salaries ultimately come from revenue streams, and if revenue streams for the NBA are 100 times higher than for the WNBA, then salaries will be similarly affected. The gap is so large that the highest paid WNBA player earns less money than the lowest paid NBA player. Such a disparity cannot be overcome in one season.
Clark is already making the WNBA richer
Clark has the potential to make a dent in this situation, though, as she is single-handedly moving attendance numbers for the Fever to be on par with average home attendance for NBA teams.
In fact, the 2024 Fever average home attendance was higher than the average home attendance for five NBA teams (Hornets, Pacers, Grizzlies, Wizards, Hawks) in the 2023-2024 season and seven teams in the 2024-2025 season (Hawks, Kings, Pelicans, Wizards, Grizzlies, Pacers, and Clippers).
As more revenue flows to WNBA teams, it will lead to higher contracts for all players.
Then there are endorsement deals. Clark had numerous NIL contracts while in college that netted her an estimated $3.1 million. Such deals accelerated once she jumped to the WNBA.
Of course, NBA teams play twice as many games as WNBA teams. NBA ticket prices are also higher than WNBA ticket prices, and the NBA has lucrative television agreements, all providing tailwinds for higher player contracts.
It remains to be seen if the Caitlin Clark Effect is sustainable for the Fever, and most importantly, for other teams. Professional sports, including women's basketball, is entertainment, with grownups playing a child's sport.
If the entertainment level can be enhanced, then the rising tide will benefit all teams and the league. Right now, Clark is carrying the weight of the WNBA on her shoulders. If she can get some help to ease her burden, the WNBA is in store for a wild ride.
Sheldon H. Jacobson is a professor of computer science in the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He applies data-driven, risk-based decision-making to evaluate and inform public policy. He is the founder of Bracketodds
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