Whether some like it or not, Caitlin Clark is the ‘needle-mover’ of the WNBA. Recently, Clark was ranked as the 4th in women’s sports by Forbes in its inaugural list of “Most Powerful Women In Sports”. No athlete cracked the top 10 (Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart are entrepreneurs cum athletes). The reasoning was quite simple: her off-court success, leveraging her fame, has changed “how female athletes are being valued in the world of professional sports.” 

Naturally, Forbes included the groundbreaking $28 million deal with Nike that Clark signed last year, writing, “Her estimated $8.1 million in income from her rookie season with the Indiana Fever was bolstered by big deals with Nike, Wilson and Gatorade”. However, per Rachel DeMita, Clark’s influential success isn’t defined or limited to the Nike deal. And, if anything, DeMita thinks the deal only ends up undervaluing the Indiana Fever guard. It’s something one doesn’t need to announce with fanfare. 

Clark’s agent, Erin Kane, also made the list and, reading out the section for her, where the article had again mentioned the Nike deal as a major win, DeMita said on the ‘Courtside Club’ podcast, “I don’t love that they put in this Nike deal. 28 million. She should be getting 28 million a year from Nike. Okay. I cannot wait until her signature shoe drops. I just want to I just can’t wait to see how those fly off the shelves.”

There are certainly critics who argue that the Nike deal grossly underestimates Clark’s impact on Nike and the basketball world as a whole. After all, “I think when Caitlin’s shoe comes out, it can be a $150 million business,” sneaker insider Nick DePaula said to Front Office Sports.“It could become a top-five signature franchise across basketball.”

For more context, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns signed a headline-grabbing 5-year, $50 million extension with Nike back in 2018, which was further extended in 2022.  And well, one can argue that Caitlin Clark is more popular than Booker was in 2018 or 2022. This comparison is something that Barstool Sports founder, Dave Portnoy, had actually discussed earlier on DeMita’s show. 

“If you look back at it, like the power of her and when her shoe comes out, like we’ll see what the sales are. They’re paying Devin Booker, I think, $40 million a year. So, in what universe is Devin Booker worth $40 million a year and Caitlin’s worth eight? It’s insane,” Portnoy had said.

Clearly, DeMita agrees, as she didn’t hold back this time. “That’s actual robbery. 28 million over 8 years for Caitlin Clark. That’s one of the worst deals that we’ve seen,” DeMita said. To be fair, though, Clark signed that deal before setting foot in the WNBA, and it was considered the richest sponsorship contract for a women’s basketball player. 

Without precedent, it would have been difficult for Erin Kane’s Excel management to negotiate for more, especially when no one knew how her popularity was going to play out in the WNBA. The signs were there from her college days, being proclaimed the “GOAT of TV Ratings” by The Wall Street Journal, selling out arenas while attracting record-breaking viewership. 

Anyhow, critics argue that the length could have been shorter to gauge Clark’s transfer to the pros and then renegotiate over 4 years, for example. However, there is also this thing that the contract might include variable components (royalties, equity, surprise bonuses) like Michael Jordan’s deals did, making the base number look modest but overall upside more significant. And $3.5 million per year is a decent number if you look at how things have been in women’s sports. No one expected or is expecting brands to start splurging suddenly. They are still testing the waters. That’s a sad reality, but it is a reality nonetheless.

Also, all this conversation around whether Clark deserves more is not only because of the numbers she brings. It is also the change she is forcing across communities for women’s sports. 

Caitlin Clark Drives A First Of Its Kind Sports Bar In Iowa

CC has always been a source of inspiration for young girls and boys, especially in Iowa. Her logo threes have inspired young girls to try and do the same. According to a report from the Aspen Institute’s National State of Play in 2024, the participation of women in sports has risen since Clark came on to the scene. However, Clark is also driving change in the field of entrepreneurship. 

Jami Behun wanted a safe place to watch women’s sports, so she partnered up with Laquita Lucas, and together, they’re set to open Heroics Sports Lounge in the former Juniper Moon space on Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines this fall. This concept isn’t new in itself, as Portland’s The Sports Bra is opening locations in Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Boston, and St. Louis, but Behun wants to own Des Moines, the home of Caitlin Clark. 

“We have a huge thing here because of Caitlin Clark, it’s amazing,” said Behun. Her partner is a huge Caitlin Clark fan, too. “I really did get kind of caught up in the Caitlin Clark phenomenon of just watching what an amazing athlete she is,” she said. “I think it’s been hard to find a place where you can go out and watch women’s sports if you want to.”

While the 2025 WNBA season is already over, Behun and Lucas will be itching for the 2026 season, where Clark will make her storied return from injury. Clark has led a huge increase in numbers for the WNBA ever since joining, and the hype hasn’t died despite her 2025 absence. However, her being on the court brings a different electricity to the game. Her comeback arc is bound to bring even more viewers to the 2026 season (if it happens), and Behun can expect her bar to be full of viewers.