Caitlin Clark has significantly elevated the profile of women’s college basketball, emerging as one of its most legendary players on account of her remarkable scoring prowess. Her exceptional achievements have translated into increased television ratings and attendance for the sport.

Clark played in a game that recently made history due to its high viewership. This NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship showdown between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Iowa Hawkeyes aired on ABC and ESPN in April 2024.

According to Nielsen’s live-plus-same-day data, approximately 18.9 million viewers tuned in to watch. Viewership reached its peak at 24.1 million during the final minutes of the game, between 5:00 and 5:14 PM ET.

Clark is credited for boosting viewership due to her incredible talent on the court. Since her impact on women’s college basketball has been so immense Clark was asked if she feels the pressure put on her to always do better. The athlete noted that she doesn’t let the pressure get to her.

Whenever the heaviness of her responsibility threatened to weigh her down, Clark would remind herself that she was playing a team sport and could always rely on her teammates as well as her friends and family.

Still, Clark expressed, “At times you can definitely feel the weight of the world on your shoulders, but, more than anything, to me, like, this is fun. It’s a game. Just enjoy it. Like, how lucky am I?

The athlete’s hard work and dedication to her game paid off when in 2024, playing as a guard for the University of Iowa. Clark made history by becoming the all-time leading scorer across men’s and women’s college basketball. She scored three-point shots ever in a single season, surpassing Steph Curry, who previously held the record.

Subsequently, the 22-year-old was chosen as the top overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, joining the Indiana Fever. She is set to make $338,000 on a four-year rookie WNBA deal but her salary for 2024 will be $76, 535.

This salary outraged Clark’s fans, who feel she should be earning more, especially since the number one pick in 2023’s NBA draft made $55 million in his first year. Additionally, the men’s rookie in 2024, Victor Wembanyama of Metropolitan92 will be making over $12 million. A fan mocked what the WNBA was paying Clark, “On this salary Caitlin Clark would qualify for low income housing in San Francisco.”

Another frustrated fan pointed out the absurdity of Clark’s salary, “Yes, I agree. this is unfair. and don’t say she’ll earn more in sponsorships, because male hoopers also earn thru sponsorships + millions of dollars (even just role players).”

Celebrities also weighed in on Clark’s salary, echoing the comments of her fans. TV personality Lisa Ling raised a poignant question regarding the toll that sports and travel can take on women’s bodies. “Is this even a living wage?” she asked.

Ling noted the significant disparity in revenue generated by WNBA games compared to other sports, emphasizing the need for fair compensation for female athletes. She wrote, “Steph Curry makes more per game than what Caitlin Clark is making for 4 years! (…) this is disgraceful.”