Caitlin Clark is undoubtedly one of the most popular faces in the WNBA. After she was drafted by the Indiana Fever in 2024, the average viewership for her games rose to 1.2 million. Ticket sales increased exponentially and team valuations surged as well. Her popularity sent a polarizing wave through the women’s sports industry. Now, she is even surpassing some of the NBA’s biggest stars.
In the latest jersey sales numbers released by Fanatics, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry topped the chart. But unexpectedly, Clark ranked just behind him, ahead of both Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic, who claimed the third and fourth spots respectively. That is a massive feat and speaks volumes about her popularity.
She has singlehandedly brought a huge number of new viewers to women’s basketball. This season opener between Indiana and the Dallas Wings became the second-most-watched regular-season WNBA game ever, averaging 2.5 million viewers. Though Clark’s team lost, she posted 20 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists in 31 minutes of action.
Caitlin Clark’s Endorsement Machine Keeps Growing
The money side is just as striking as the merchandise side. In April 2024, Clark signed an eight-year Nike deal worth $28 million and including a signature shoe, the richest sponsorship contract for a women’s basketball player. AP reported that Clark had earned about $3 million in NIL money at Iowa through deals with State Farm, Gatorade and others, which shows how quickly her commercial value scaled once she left college.
Clark also received offers of $16 million over four years from Under Armour and $6 million over four years from Adidas, with both including a signature shoe.
By the end of 2025, that off-court income had become the dominant part of her financial profile. A December 2025 Forbes-related report cited by RealGM said Clark earned $16.1 million from endorsements and that 99.3% of her income came from deals rather than salary. It listed sponsors including Gatorade, State Farm, Wilson, Panini America, Hy-Vee, Xfinity, Gainbridge and Lilly, which gives a clear picture of how broad her portfolio has become.
She also became a Nike signature athlete in August of 2025. Her signature logo and apparel debuted in December 2025. The centerpiece of that deal, her signature sneaker, is set to debut in 2026.
Clark’s WNBA salary is still modest relative to her commercial reach. She is still on her rookie contract a four-year, $338,056 contract, but due to a new CBA deal it rose to $528,846. But the market has already priced her as a franchise-level media property
Caitlin Clark’s Third-Season Test is Bigger than Scoring
GettyCaitlin Clark is completely out of her injuries.
Last season was plagued by injuries for Clark. She managed to appear in only 13 games. Those injuries really took a mental toll on her to the point that she had to rely on her mom to get over the hurdles.
Now this year, though she has completely overcome her physical ailments, the mental ones remain. She said that she still needs time to completely recover from them and trust her body again.
So, 2026 will be about overcoming those hurdles and trying to be healthy and without injuries for the rest of the season, anchoring the entire team.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Fever’s Caitlin Clark Leaves Behind Lebron James, Luka Doncic in Latest Update appeared first on HEAVY.