Caitlin Clark U-turn on the cards as star gets ‘mind-boggling’ offer away from WNBA
The Unrivaled Basketball League are hoping to secure the services of WNBA and basketball sensation Caitlin Clark, but they will have to fend off offers from the world of golf
David Levy, an investor in the Unrivaled Basketball League, has subtly hinted at their recruitment efforts for basketball sensation Caitlin Clark. Despite her playoff journey being cut short, her skills have led to an intriguing offer from the golfing world, having been invited to showcase her talents at a prestigious LPGA event hosted by Annika Sorenstam in Florida.
The Unrivaled Basketball League, a novel 3-on-3 format, covets Clark as the face of their brand for its launch in 2025. Convincing her to join, however, would mean she’d have to hang up her golf clubs.
In his interview with Front Office Sports, Levy playfully mooted: “If we’re lucky enough to get Caitlin Clark, are we going to travel to Iowa? ” His coy hint was followed by co-founder and former Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier teasing further: “I think we might have a couple more rookies in there, that might be a hint.”
Despite Collier’s evasive response when probed about a formal proposition, her esteem for the Iowa prodigy is unmistakable. She added: “It’s mind-boggling because Caitlin’s impact on the game is immense, generating huge revenue for teams, with venues needing to be changed to accommodate the crowds she draws. Yet, she’s only earning around $75,000 annually. Given the massive following she’s attracting, she should be among the world’s top-paid players.”
WNBA icon Sue Bird has praised Caitlin Clark’s impact on the sport, noting her significant commercial influence during her podcast ‘A Touch More’. Bird remarked: “Viewership numbers with Caitlin Clark are astronomical. She brings in all the things. We know this, we’ve said this. Yes, the games that she’s not playing have lower viewership.”, reports the Mirror US.
She also highlighted that “The WNBA playoffs, where Caitlin’s obviously not in it because her team lost are still breaking records from previous WNBA years. These numbers are still really high and still really meaningful… Yet, some people continue to flip that… Nobody ever said Caitlin wasn’t gonna be a marketing gem, a unicorn.”
Meanwhile, Clark herself is excited about her foray into golf, having been invited to participate in an LPGA event in Florida.
She expressed her enthusiasm, saying: “I love golf so the opportunity to play in the Pro-Am for a tournament with a legend like Annika Sorenstam’s name on it is so exciting.”
She’s also looking forward to “seeing all the LPGA players on the driving range, being part of the Women’s Leadership Summit, and, of course, teeing it up in the pro-am with Annika.”
