Napheesa Collier claims Cathy Engelbert on WNBA sponsorship
Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier discuss sponsor growth, how it affects WNBA negotiations
Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier discuss sponsor growth, how it affects WNBA negotiations
- What’s expected to be an intense negotiation between the WNBA and the players association was escalated by superstar Napheesa Collier on Tuesday.
- Collier said the WNBA’s leadership is the worst in the world, and that commissioner Cathy Engelbert told her Caitlin Clark should be grateful because the WNBA is responsible for her sponsorships.
- The Fever play the Aces in Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday
LAS VEGAS — WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Fever star Caitlin Clark should be “grateful” to the league for sponsorship deals, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier said.
Collier, who is a vice president in the WNBPA, a leader in collective bargaining agreement negotiations, and a co-founder of 3×3 league Unrivaled, shared what Engelbert said in a prepared statement during her exit interview Tuesday.
Collier touched on officiating, negotiations and the state of the league in her statement, including multiple conversations she’s had with Engelbert while trying to negotiate the new CBA. One of the main sticking points has been player salaries: the supermax in the league is $250,000, while rookie salaries for top picks start around $75,000.
Clark made $76,535 her rookie season. She is making $78,066 in base salary for 2025, $85,873 on her third year of the deal in 2026 and her club option for 2027 is $97,582, per Spotrac.
That doesn’t include the many endorsements that Clark has signed throughout the years. But Collier claims Engelbert told her that Clark gets those sponsorships because of the league.
“I also asked how she planned to fix the fact that Caitlin, Angel (Reese) and Paige (Bueckers), who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league, are making so little for their first four years,” Collier said. “Her response was ‘Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t be making anything.’”
Engelbert, in a statement, said: “I have the utmost respect for Napheesa Collier and for all the players in the WNBA. Together we have all worked tirelessly to transform this league. My focus remains on ensuring a bright future for the players and the WNBA, including collaborating on how we continue to elevate the game. I am disheartened by how Napheesa characterized our conversations and league leadership, but even when our perspectives differ, my commitment to the players and to this work will not waver.”
Via the Fever, Clark has no comment.
The alleged claim that Clark only makes sponsorship money off the WNBA’s platform is incorrect. Clark rose to fame as a college athlete at Iowa, captivating fans across the country with witty passes and logo 3-pointers.
Her first endorsement deal came with The Vinyl Shop in August 2021, shortly after the NCAA started allowing college athletes to sign sponsorships.
Endorsements started rolling in quickly after that. She signed with Hy-Vee, a Midwestern grocery chain, in October 2021, then with trading cards company Topps and insurance company H&R Block in 2022.
She first signed with Nike in 2022 for a deal spanning the final two years of her college career, then signed a new eight-year deal in April 2024, which was after she was drafted No. 1 to the Fever but before she played a single WNBA game.
She signed with both Buick and Bose during her junior season at Iowa in March 2023.
She also signed with multiple companies during her senior season at Iowa, including State Farm in October 2023, Gatorade in December 2023, and Gainbridge in March 2024 — before she was drafted to the Fever.
To put it simply, Clark’s sponsorship opportunities came well before she was drafted to the Fever or played a single WNBA game.
This story was updated with a provided statement by WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after publication.
Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67. Get IndyStar’s Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter. Subscribe to IndyStar’s YouTube channel and join Fever Insiders Live postgame.
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