The Dallas Cowboys are the most popular team in American sports. Forbes recently valued the Dallas Cowboys at over $9 billion, making the National Football League (NFL) franchise the most valuable sports team on the planet. One of the primary reasons for the Cowboys' colossal valuation is the sheer amount of merchandise it sells to its loyal fanbase. However, last week, the Indiana Fever sold more jerseys bearing the name of new recruit Caitlin Clark in one day than the Cowboys sold across the entire 2023 season.
Although sales figures have not been officially released, Dick Weiss of the NY Daily News tweeted on X, "Caitlin Clark sold more Fever jerseys in one day than the Cowboys sold last year for the entire team." If Weiss' claims are valid, it is an incredible achievement and proof that Clark fever is about to take the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) by storm.
Last season, the Cowboys won the NFC East division with a 12-5 record and were among the favorites with the best betting sites in Texas to win the Super Bowl for the sixth time in the franchise's history and their first such title for 28 years. Optimism among Cowboys fans was strong, and those supporters flocked to purchase replica jerseys. Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons had the best-selling jersey in the NFL last season, while quarterback Dak Prescott ranked fifth on the same list. If Clark outsold the entire Cowboys team, it would be astonishing and show that the WNBA has a potential once-in-a-generation superstar in its hands.
Who is Caitlin Clark?
Those who do not follow women's basketball are forgiven for not knowing much about Clark, but they should get used to hearing her name because she is taking the basketball world by storm.
Clark was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in January 2002 and began playing basketball at age five. She had to play in boys' recreational leagues because her father could not find girls' teams for her age group. Despite the natural physical difference between boys and girls, Clark excelled on the basketball court, and it was only a short time before she was playing several years ahead of her age group in girls' leagues.
In sixth grade, Clark joined All Iowa Attack, an amateur basketball program in Iowa. She played for Attack until she graduated from high school. Clark's natural talent did not go unnoticed, and scouts from NCAA Division I basketball programs clambered for her signature before she had even finished high school.
After graduating from Dowling Catholic High School, Clark committed to play college basketball for Iowa, rejecting offers from Iowa State and Notre Dame.
Caitlin Clark College Career
Clark began her college career as a point guard and made her collegiate debut on November 25, 2020, scoring 27 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in a 96-81 win over Northern Iowa. In her second game, Clark recorded her first double-double, recording 30 points and 13 assists as Iowa ran out 103-97 winners over Drake.
Clark's confidence seemed to grow each time she stepped onto the court, and she was sometimes unplayable. She ended her freshman season averaging 26.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Remarkably, Clark made 40.6% of her three-point attempts.
During her sophomore season, Clark averaged 27.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, improving on her impressive rookie season. Nobody expected Clark to be able to beat the figures from her sophomore season, but she did precisely that as a junior and once again in her senior year. Clark finished her college basketball career with averages of 28.4 points, 8.2 assists, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals from 139 games. Clark scored or assisted in 53.5% of Iowa's points in her four years with the program! Unsurprisingly, Clark was highly sought after in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Indiana Fever Selects Clarke as Number One Overall Pick
Indiana Fever finished with a 13-27 record in the 2023 WNBA Eastern Conference and an 18-58 record for 2022 and 2023 combined. Fever won the lottery drawing for the second time in franchise history, earning them the first pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
There was only ever going to be one name that Fever selected, and Caitlin Clark was that name. As expected, Indiana Fever selected Clark as their number-one pick and immediately awarded her a four-year rookie contract worth $338,056. Clark will earn a base salary of $76,535 for her first year, $78,066 in year two, $85,873 for her third year, with a fourth-year option of $97,582. However, it is estimated she will earn up to $3 million through endorsement deals and sponsorships.
Although Clark has immense earning potential, there is a disparity between men's and women's salaries and earning potential for all to see. Victor Wembanyama signed a four-year, $55,174,766 contract when the San Antonio Spurs selected him first in the 2023 NBA Draft. While some will argue that the men's game generates far more revenue than the women's game, which is true, the difference in salaries and earning potential is cavernous.
Several of Fever's 2024 season games have already sold out as fans clamber for a glimpse of the WNBA's hottest prospect. The fact that her Fever's jersey sold more in 24 hours than the Dallas Cowboys sold throughout 2023 shows the impact Clark is having on the women's basketball industry.
Even President Biden commented on the debate: "Women in sports continue to push new boundaries and inspire us all. But right now, we're seeing that even if you're the best, women are not paid their fair share. It's time that we give our daughters the same opportunities as our sons and ensure women are paid what they deserve."
Fever fans should see their new star play her first game in a preseason fixture against the Dallas Wins on May 4. Her professional home debut is likely to happen against New York Liberty at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 17.
