Since the WNBA launched in 1996, the NBA has helped get it off the ground. While the league doesn't fully fund the women's organization, it provides some financial help.
Currently, the NBA owns 50% of the WNBA. The other 50% is spread out across the owners of the franchises. As a part-owner, the league plays its part to try and help the up-in-coming league at least break even.
Every year, the NBA awards the women's league $15 million for finanical support. This money can go towards a variety of things, from marketing to travel. Moreover, the women's league brings in revenue via its TV deal, ticket sales and advertisements.
In recent years, the women have seen a massive growth in popularity and viewership. That has resulted in a spike in their revenue as well. In 2022, the league's revenue came in at around $60 million. A year later, that number grew to nearly $200 million.
With the arrival of Caitlin Clark, many are expecting women's basketball to continue surging in the right direction.
Caitlin Clark showing potential to drastically impact WNBA's bottom line
After a year where the WNBA saw massive growth, things are looking to continue trending that way. Leading up to being drafted, Caitlin Clark is also proving to be an extremely marketbale young star.
During her time at Iowa, Clark drew massive crowds in the arena and on TV. Now, she appears to be doing the same for the pros. Typically, the women's league doesn't sell tickets for its draft. They decided to change that this year, and the event sold out in under 20 minutes.
It's not the only impact of the Clark effect. Not long after the Indiana Fever selected her first overall, fans rushed online to buy her jersey. In just a couple hours, Clark's jersey was sold out in almost every size. Fanatics ended up releasing a statement that she's the highest-selling draft pick in history.
Seeing that she has the potential to be a big draw, the league is making sure they can get as many eyes on Clark as possible. Once the Fever were awarded the top pick, it emerged that most of their games will air on national television.
For years, the women have worked tirelessly to get more attention on the WNBA. Based on their recent trends, their efforts are starting to pay huge dividends. Next step for them will be making sure their salaries increase in accordance to the growing revenue and popularity.