Caitlin Clark Is Making The WNBA A Ton Of Money, New Data Shows
The WNBA's Indiana Fever has released its internal financial data for so far this season and forget the Caitlin Clark effect, it's Caitlin Clark's WORLD, and we are just living in it. Meanwhile, those working with her are absolutely THRIVING on it.
Everyone knows that Caitlin Clark is one of the biggest stars in the country right now. We here at OutKick have covered it perhaps more than any other media outlet while also proudly supporting her against unfair criticism and even attacks from those in the WNBA.
But besides the all-time NCAA Division I points record, and the sold out Indiana Fever crowds and the Panini and Wilson basketball deals (the first since someone named Michael Jordan) and more… just how big is Caitlin Clark?
Well my friends, bigger than anyone could have even imagined.
CAITLIN CLARK = MONEYMAKING POWERHOUSE
The second half of the WNBA's season will start back up this Friday when the Fever host the Phoenix Mercury. The game will be sold out, as every game this year has and will continue to be for the Fever as their entire season ticket inventory is gone. The total attendance for Indiana is up over 264 percent from last year, while some games have even been upgraded to larger arenas due to demand.
What Caitlin has also excelled at is not getting involved in pettiness or taking the bait from any of the BS being spewed about her. Instead, she comes across as a role model to younger athletes and kids everywhere. Parents clearly appreciate that as they in turn have no problem supporting Clark and buying her jersey of Fever apparel. That has worked as well as the Fever have seen an unbelievable 1,193 percent increase in jersey sales from last year. Team store transactions are up 700 percent.
'A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS'
Packed arenas and big attendance figures undoubtedly bring in other economic benefits because all those people have to eat and drink, no? The Fever's Gainbridge Fieldhouse reports sales of hot dogs are up 300 percent while people love to have some beer and see what Clark's going to do next - draft beer is up 740 percent.
And because it's the year 2024, and we live in a digital age that fortunately (or unfortunately at times) lives by social media, the Fever's digital department is quite happy by adding 1.3 MILLION followers since April 15 and having more social media viewed than any other team in the NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL or MLB since then.
You have to give credit to ESPN and the TV networks for realizing how important it was going to be to get Caitlin Clark seen by as many eyeballs as possible and rightfully so as Fever games set all-time WNBA viewership records for ABC, ION, ESPN and NBA TV - and it's only been the first half of the season!
READ: CAITLIN CLARK IS GOING TO BRING A TON OF MONEY INTO THE WNBA
I'm sure NBC / Peacock would have loved to have had Caitlin Clark - even if she was on the bench as part of their Olympic Women's basketball games the last few weeks. The result of a Clark-less Olympics Final? Just 7.8 million viewers, which is the same as the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
But don't worry everyone, the geniuses at Team USA's Women's Basketball Selection Committee told us that Clark may have been a distraction, and she didn't deserve to be in the biggest international display of women's basketball, thus not being able to build the sport as big as possible.
Genius move there, said no one ever.
As the Indiana Fever's numbers show, the data doesn't lie - Caitlin Clark has exceeded all expectations, especially from a business standpoint.
Get ready to see A LOT more of her as more sponsors continue to get on board.
And let me reiterate what I wrote in March:
I've already predicted that the Kelce brothers will host the upcoming ESPY awards (or hell, maybe even ABC's Time Square New Year's Eve Bash).
If ESPN was smart it would have Caitlin Clark be a part of the Award show as well. Both the Kelce and Clark brands are booming right now.
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