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As the 2026 season reaches its quarter mark, former WNBA legend Nancy Lieberman said in a recent interview that she believes Caitlin Clark is to thank for the league's new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which has allowed players to earn much higher salaries.
"She’s a generational player. She came with a fan base of millions, and it’s helping the league," Lieberman said. "They don’t get the $2.2 billion collective bargaining agreement, honestly, without her being there."
Since being selected by the Indiana Fever as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark has powered the recent surge in attention that has helped transform the WNBA's financial future and stability among the nation's major sports leagues.
As a result of the former Hawkeyes' enormous economic impact alongside other stars in the league, the WNBA and the WNBA Players Association reached a landmark collective bargaining agreement in March, delivering major salary increases, a larger salary cap, and more player benefits.
The new WNBA CBA is a transformative seven-year labor deal that establishes the league's first-ever revenue-sharing model (averaging 20% of league and team revenue), nearly quintuples the team salary cap, and introduces sweeping upgrades to player benefits, family planning, and facility standards.
"You can’t deny she brings the media," Lieberman said. "You’re talking about her. You probably weren’t talking about anybody four years ago."
Lieberman even compared Clark’s effect on the WNBA to that of NBA legend Michael Jordan and PGA icon Tiger Woods in their respective sports.
"She’s done her job, just like Tiger did, just like Michael Jordan did," Lieberman said.
While Clark's media attention has created frustration among some who argue the Iowa native's stardom detracts from the hard work of the rest of the league's players, Lieberman said that kind of attention does not take away from the rest of the league, but only helps expose more fans to the league's pre-existing stars.
"These young players that are coming into the league have this incredible fan base," Lieberman added. "They were making millions of dollars in college with their NILs, so they just brought that to the league... We shouldn’t be jealous of them. We should celebrate them, not tolerate them."
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Nancy Lieberman on Caitlin Clark: Credits Fever star for new WNBA CBA
Continue reading...
"She’s a generational player. She came with a fan base of millions, and it’s helping the league," Lieberman said. "They don’t get the $2.2 billion collective bargaining agreement, honestly, without her being there."
Since being selected by the Indiana Fever as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark has powered the recent surge in attention that has helped transform the WNBA's financial future and stability among the nation's major sports leagues.
As a result of the former Hawkeyes' enormous economic impact alongside other stars in the league, the WNBA and the WNBA Players Association reached a landmark collective bargaining agreement in March, delivering major salary increases, a larger salary cap, and more player benefits.
The new WNBA CBA is a transformative seven-year labor deal that establishes the league's first-ever revenue-sharing model (averaging 20% of league and team revenue), nearly quintuples the team salary cap, and introduces sweeping upgrades to player benefits, family planning, and facility standards.
"You can’t deny she brings the media," Lieberman said. "You’re talking about her. You probably weren’t talking about anybody four years ago."
Lieberman even compared Clark’s effect on the WNBA to that of NBA legend Michael Jordan and PGA icon Tiger Woods in their respective sports.
"She’s done her job, just like Tiger did, just like Michael Jordan did," Lieberman said.
While Clark's media attention has created frustration among some who argue the Iowa native's stardom detracts from the hard work of the rest of the league's players, Lieberman said that kind of attention does not take away from the rest of the league, but only helps expose more fans to the league's pre-existing stars.
"These young players that are coming into the league have this incredible fan base," Lieberman added. "They were making millions of dollars in college with their NILs, so they just brought that to the league... We shouldn’t be jealous of them. We should celebrate them, not tolerate them."
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Nancy Lieberman on Caitlin Clark: Credits Fever star for new WNBA CBA
Continue reading...
