Caitlin Clark has reached unprecedented heights in her basketball career after just one season in the WNBA. This also means that her earning potential has skyrocketed now that she’s become one of the most prominent athletes in professional sports.
At this point, the 22-year-old is putting her money to good use. It was recently reported that the Indiana Fever superstar has decided to join an ownership group that has made a bid to bring a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team to the city of Cincinnati. According to the report, the investment could reach up to $100 million for the expansion fee alone.
The co-lead of this ambitious bid is Jeff Birding, who is the co-CEO of Major League Soccer (MLS) team FC Cincinnati. The 57-year-old recently spoke to The Athletic, and he revealed the big decision Clark made when she joined the bid — one that the WNBA All-Star came to on her own.
“It was Caitlin’s desire to go public,” Berding told The Athletic. “We didn’t make that decision for her, or on her behalf. She’s very proud to be a part of this effort and she’s very competitive.”
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.
Grace Hollars/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
Birding, who served on the Cincinnati City Council from 2005 to 2011, also went on to say that Clark is all-in on this initiative and that she plans to play a significant role in the same.
“She wants to win and see this happen,” Berding continued. “She’s 100 miles away (with her Indianapolis-based WNBA team) and she’s going to have a great opportunity to be involved in a meaningful way.”
It is worth noting, however, that the Cincinnati bid is far from guaranteed. Clark’s group is still facing serious competition from groups from Cleveland, Philadelphia and Denver, who all also want to bring an NWSL team to their respective cities.
It goes without saying, though, that Cincinnati holds a considerable advantage by having one of the biggest names in sports on its side.
