During a recent appearance in an interaction on The Shop YouTube channel, Hannah Hidalgo was asked about the situation surrounding the WNBA pay scale. Hidalgo pointed out that with NIL, the college players are now placed in a better situation, and she would have had stayed in college.
Hidalgo also pointed out the stark difference between WNBA rookie salaries and the huge amounts of fans and media attention Clark received since joining the league. In college Clark’s NIL endorsements earnings were over $3 million according to Sportskeeda. Now she earns a fraction of that at $84,514 yearly in the WNBA.
Hidalgo continued to say that most of the elite players must have made more money in their college NIL deals than in their early WNBA contracts. She said:
“Money! Exactly. You make, you do make a lot more in the league. It’s like, you know, there was this big thing that Caitlin [Clark], she didn’t make a lot with her rookie contract, and it’s like, she’s done so much for the game, how is she not making all this money? Which she was probably making so much more being in college, and it just is what it is.” (29:55)
However, Hannah Hidalgo’s feels with the league inching into big markets such as Detroit, Toronto and Philadelphia, players should be prepared to be compensated.
“But, you know, the women’s game is expanding. We’re getting teams in Detroit, Toronto, Philly, and stuff like that. So it’s expanding. So it’s a great time to be a female athlete right now.”
The comments made by Hidalgo come at a crucial time. The interest in the WNBA among fans has soared way higher than anticipated.
The ratings have increased, there is a growth in attendance in new markets, and with the entry of Caitlin Clark, the league has gained popularity around the world. And still, rookie deals are pathetically low.
What Caitlin Clark said about WNBA pay gap?
Caitlin Clark set the ESPN viewership record for a WNBA game in her debut, and sells out crowds wherever she goes in the league. Yet, still she is underpaid. The players themselves have had enough and have been outwardly vocal about this, even protesting during their All Star Game.
The message during the game was simple: “Pay Us What You Owe Us” was written across all the warm up jerseys. The players used the increased attention to call out at the league for the talks that had stalled between league and players union.
The debate picked up steam when Caitlin Clark used WNBA’s Commissioner’s Cup prize money to point out the WNBA players’ desire to earn higher salaries. Notably, the WNBA champions receive $11,356 per player, which is way less than the Commissioner’s Cup winners, where $500,000 purse is split among the squad’s players.
“You get more (money) for this than you do if you’re the (WNBA Finals) champion,” Caitlin Clark said last month. “It makes no sense. Someone tell (WNBA commissioner) Cathy (Engelbert) to help us out.”
Caitlin Clark spoke on the pay differences between Commissioner Cup and WNBA Finals
Clark: “We get more for [the Commissioner’s Cup] than you do if you’re a [WNBA champion]. Makes no sense. Someone tell Cathy [Engelbert] to help us out.” pic.twitter.com/ibG6sA5jOQ
— Nick Hamilton (@NickHamilton213) July 3, 2025
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