Caitlin Clark had a sharp message for WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert over the prize pool for the annual Commissioner’s Cup.
Clark and the Indiana Fever won the Commissioner’s Cup with a 74-59 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday. That victory entitles players to a share of the $500,000 prize pool, as well as $120,000 in cryptocurrency from sponsor Coinbase.
That is the same as the $500,000 prize pool for a WNBA title, which is split among multiple teams depending on how far they progress through the playoffs. In a video from the locker room, Clark suggested that disparity was ridiculous.
“You get more for this than you do if you’re a champion. Makes no sense. Someone tell Cathy to help us out,” Clark said.
“you get more for this than you do if your a champion makes no sense, someone tell Cathy to help us out” caitlin speaking such facts Cathy come on 😭🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/ETkQ3B5GOt
— #22caitlinthegoat (@ccthegoat22) July 2, 2025
Clark and her teammates certainly will not be complaining about the payday, which comes out to $30,000 per player. However, most would probably agree that the in-season tournament should not be more financially lucrative for the winning team than a WNBA title. That, however, is how things have worked out.
It remains to be seen if Clark has enough influence to prompt discussions about the discrepancy. Perhaps some of her peers might appreciate her more if she manages to get some of them a raise.
