Jamelle Bouie - Last year, the United Auto Workers announced an ambitious plan to organize workers and unionize foreign-owned auto plants in the South. Wednesday, 4,300 workers at a Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, Tenn., began voting on whether to unionize. The mere potential for union success was so threatening that the day before the vote began, several of the Southern Republican governors announced their opposition to the U.A.W. campaign. read more
A top leader of the national conservative group Turning Point Action, which has amplified false claims of election fraud by former president Donald Trump and others, resigned Thursday after being accused of forging voter signatures on official paperwork so that he could run for reelection in the Arizona House. read more
In a classified addendum to Russia's official - and public - "Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation," the ministry calls for an "offensive information campaign" and other measures spanning "the military-political, economic and trade and informational psychological spheres" against a "coalition of unfriendly countries" led by the United States. read more
President Biden delivered a flurry of attacks on former President Donald J. Trump during a Tuesday speech. He laid out his vision for a fairer tax code, including raising rates on the wealthy and corporations and using the money to expand the economy and help working families. Then Biden added, "If Trump's stock in his Truth Social company drops any lower, he might do better under my tax plan than his." read more
Record rains that inundated the United Arab Emirates and surrounding countries, killing at least 18 people in Oman and bringing air travel to a standstill in Dubai, were expected to continue into Wednesday, the authorities said. Dubai typically records around five inches of rain in a year. The deluge that fell by Tuesday evening alone equaled that amount. read more
#62 | POSTED BY TONYROMA AT 2024-04-18 10:11 AM | FLAG: (CHOOSE) | FUNNY: 1
I love it when I present people with accurate information and then they want to make that presentation about me. I'm not "invested" in anything but gathering and analyzing information as it's presented to me.
Caitlin Clark's Impact: Iowa's economy soars by $82.5 million thanks to star athlete
According to Iowa City mayor Bruce Teague, Clark and her teammates contributed a staggering $82.5 million to the local economy during their time at the University of Iowa.
The economic impact of Clark and the Iowa women's basketball team cannot be overstated. The team's success led to sold-out arenas and a surge in attendance at games. Local businesses, particularly restaurants and bars, benefited greatly from the increased foot traffic on game days.And it seems I'm not the only one seeing the coming 360 degree impact of Catlin Clark:
Caitlin Clark Projected Net Worth 2024: How Rich Will The WNBA Star Be?Some of the same factors at play in Tiger's ascent to becoming a billionaire are in play for Caitlin Clark, as highlighted by the bullet points above. It's completely fair to view both of them at the earliest stages of their professional careers to draw on apt contrasts as well as comparisons.
*Monumental Earnings Potential: Caitlin Clark's trajectory in financial gains is shaped by her historic achievements in NCAA basketball and high-profile endorsements.
*Wealth from Diverse Sources: Her income stems from her athletic prowess to earn a WNBA salary and significantly from endorsements with leading brands, illustrating the multifaceted nature of income for elite athletes.
*Marketing Magnet: Caitlin's partnerships with global corporations underscore her appeal as a marketing powerhouse, which bolsters her overall financial portfolio.
*Bright Financial Future: Given her success and marketability, Caitlin's economic prospects in the sports industry look exceedingly favorable.
*Broader Impact: Beyond earnings, Caitlin's influence extends to societal contributions and role modeling, enhancing her value beyond just sports.
Conclusion
Caitlin Clark's ascent in women's basketball is not merely a narrative of sports success but a testament to the evolving dynamics of athlete earnings and influence. Her current path shows the potential for substantial wealth accumulation through strategic endorsements and professional basketball contracts against her groundbreaking athletic achievements.
It's stupid to ignore that Clark has already been responsible for well over $100 million of economic impact generated from simply playing her scheduled games. And that impact will be spread amongst 11 other WNBA cities as people travel there to see her play and end up spending millions in local businesses that otherwise wouldn't be spent there. This has already happened, it's not a guess of what might occur.
The only unknown is just how much total revenue she and her fellow W players will end up generating especially as new doors open for marketing opportunities for all teams and franchises that heretofore haven't existed.
OT
Is Caitlin Clark's star power strong enough to spike WNBA fandom?
The WNBA, which relies on its partnerships as a large source of revenue, could see an influx of new companies interested in working with the league to be tied to Clark, and the Fever could see a boom. Clark's effect on television ratings could have even more significant implications for the future of the WNBA. Ratings for the WNBA increased last season. The finals averaged 728,000 viewers across ABC and ESPN - the highest in 20 years. Yet Clark's presence is likely to make the league more bullish as it enters those discussions.
South Carolina's win over Iowa in the title game was seen on ABC by 18.9 million viewers, with a peak audience of 24.1 million - a 90 percent increase from the 2023 title game and a 289 percent increase from 2022. ESPN said it was the most-watched non-football or Olympics sporting event (men's or women's, college or pro) since 2019. The game broke viewership records that were just set days before in the national semifinal and Iowa's Elite Eight matchup against LSU. All told, women's college basketball viewership records were shattered across seven different networks in 2023-24, with Iowa taking part in each game.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told CNBC she hopes to "at least double" the WNBA's current fees, reportedly about $60 million annually, on its next deal.
Clark's popularity also has impacted the sports gambling market, which could be a way to bring in viewers and consumers. The Iowa-South Carolina championship game was the biggest women's single betting event of all time on FanDuel, breaking the handle record set in Iowa's Final Four matchup against UConn. The title game also featured a 155 percent increase in handle on FanDuel over the 2023 Iowa-LSU championship game, the company said.
NBA rookie salary is $10M.
Only for the number 1 pick. No other rookie makes that amount.
My prediction is that by the next CBA we'll see the top players salaries between $500K - $1M.
The discrepancy exists not due to sexism. It exists because of the difference between revenues.
If the W's viewership numbers even reach 50% of what the NCAA tournament saw, the next W contract will also rise exponentially, probably into the low billions from today's around $60 million.