By Ashley J. Williams 
According to The Athletic, the WNBA’s growing popularity is being rewarded with a sharp increase in revenue from broadcast contracts.
The deal will be part of an 11-year NBA broadcast deal with Disney, NBC and Amazon, valued at billion. The WNBA’s current media contracts, which expire in 2025, bring in million a year; the new agreement will quadruple that amount to million a year over 11 years, increasing revenue for other broadcast partners.
Caitlin Clark (center) will earn millions more on sponsorship than on her salary
Caitlin Clark earns 2% of her average NBA salary. Is it really as ridiculous as it sounds?
The increase in income could change the lives of WNBA athletes. The average (and not average) salary of WNBA players is equivalent to only 2% of the salary of their NBA counterparts. While Caitlin Clark, the league’s top rookie, will earn a salary over the next four years, the youngest NBA rookie of the year, Victor Wembanyama, will earn million on his first contract.
Low salaries forced many WNBA players to play abroad during the off-season, which is considered a much riskier proposition since Britney Greener was imprisoned in Russia and Israel went to war.
The deal took place against the background of the growing popularity of the WNBA. Clark and Angel Reese resume the rivalry that began in college and compete for the “Rookie of The Year” award. At mid-season, the average number of spectators is 9,311, which has not been achieved since the 1990s. Perhaps more importantly, the number of viewers has been impressive: ESPN reported that the ratings have increased by 183% compared to last season.