New Women’s Basketball League to Lure Caitlin Clark With ‘Lionel Messi-Like’ Offer

Kristen Wong | Oct 23, 2024

Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

New details have emerged from Unrivaled’s attempt to recruit Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark this WNBA offseason.

The 3-on-3 startup women’s basketball league is considering giving Clark a “Lionel Messi-like” offer to play in its inaugural season in January, according to Front Office Sports.

Last week, Unrivaled was reportedly preparing a “full-court press” to try to lure Clark to the stateside league, which has already recruited WNBA stars like Kelsey Plum, Arike Ogunbowale and Angel Reese. The league prides itself on compensating its 30 players with six-figure salaries (the average salary is reportedly $250,000), but when it comes to recruiting the Indiana Fever guard, it would appear that Unrivaled is willing to go the extra distance.

Unrivaled is set to offer Clark “everything from a salary possibly exceeding $1 million for less than three months of work, to equity and revenue sharing,” per FOS. It’s worth noting that all players in the women’s league will receive equity opportunities.

When Inter Miami lured global soccer icon Lionel Messi to the MLS in 2023, the club made an unprecedented move by offering Messi not only a $150 million contract, but also partial ownership, shared revenue from Apple’s MLS Season Pass and other financial incentives. 

Clark receiving the superstar treatment should come as no surprise, considering both she and Messi have “Effects” named after them as a result of their widespread impacts in their respective sports leagues. 

Clark, who will make $338,056 across her first four seasons with the Fever, has also secured lucrative deals off the court, including a $28 million deal with Nike and sponsorships with State Farm, Gatorade, Wilson and other brands.

---

More of the Latest Around WNBA

feed