When it comes to the sales of WNBA jerseys, Caitlin Clark now leads Angel Reese.
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark are still leaving their imprint on the WNBA and women’s basketball.
Since being selected in the first round by the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky, respectively, the two have excelled on the court. Their popularity has also been shown off the court in terms of jersey sales.
Sales in the league have increased by over 500% from the previous year, and Fanatics, the company that makes the jerseys, has confirmed that since 2023, player-specific sales have increased by 1,000%.
Nobody was surprised to learn that Clark and Reese were the ones responsible for this rise.
Who’s sales are higher?
In terms of player-specific sales, Clark presently holds the top spot, with Reese trailing closely after.
Two more notable names that are in the top five are Sabrina Ionescu and A’ja Wilson, who is currently the best scorer in the WNBA. At number four, though, Clark’s reach is evident as former Iowa teammate Kate Martin makes the list despite averaging less than ten minutes a day.
With Jordan producing personalized jerseys for Team USA and Team WNBA at the most recent All-Star Game, the WNBA’s financial boom continued. According to TMZ, this led to the event generating the highest on-site sales in WNBA history.
Record-breaking viewership has also been attained due to interest in the league, as Clark and Reese are taking their college supporters with them to the professionals.
2.4 million people watched the WNBA Draft, and viewership of nationally televised games has increased over the previous season.
With Disney, NBA, and Amazon allegedly willing to pay $2.2 billion over the next 11 years, that means the WNBA will have a stronger negotiating position when it comes to their next TV deal.
That hasn’t, however, translated into higher pay just yet. Prior to the 2024 season, Kelsey Plum informed Boardroom of the players’ demands for the upcoming 2025 collective bargaining agreement.
“We’re not asking to get paid the same percentage as what men get paid, we’re asking to get paid the same percentage of revenue,” Plum stated.
“The NBA has revenue-sharing percentages for its players, which include jersey sales and TV contracts. However, this is because the players’ collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiates that the players receive a portion of any profits made by the owners.