Forbes has released their 2025 list of America’s Most Powerful Women in Sports, and to everyone’s surprise, Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star Caitlin Clark is ranked as no. 4 among the notable sports figures in the nation.
The top three American sports figures include No. 1 on the list, New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans owner Gayle Benson, followed by FanDuel CEO Amy Howe at No. 2 and Nike President Amy Montague at No. 3.
The Indiana Fever guard and Iowa Hawkeyes former player ranking comes as a shock, leaving behind some of the renowned athletes in the history of American sports.
Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart (No. 9)
Serena Williams (No. 11)
Coco Gauff (No. 13)
A’ja Wilson (No. 15)
Simone Biles (No. 18)
The Hawkeyes legend has only played two seasons with the Indiana Fever, but her transition and growth have been phenomenal, which got her essential brand partnerships with companies like Nike, Wilson and Gatorade.
Her record-breaking career with the Indiana Fever got her an estimated income worth $8.1 million in the rookie season.
In her debut season, she led the Indiana Fever to their first playoff appearance in eight years, broke the record in the league’s single-season assists and earned the Rookie of the Year honour. She has also been an influential figure in WNBA All-Star viewership and attendance.
As part of the Hawkeyes, she broke the NCAA Division I scoring record, was named the national player of the year twice, and, in two straight seasons, made it to the NCAA tournament championship.
In American sports, the influence of women athletes has seen an unprecedented growth. Last year the revenue earned from women’s sport was recorded as four times more than men’s, reaching over $1 billion. By the year 2030, it is expected to exceed $2.5 billion.
Forbes on Caitlin Clark’s achievement
In a statement released by Forbes, Clark’s dominance in the WNBA as part of the Indiana Fever brings her into the spotlight by earning herself one of the biggest recognitions at such a young age and being named above other American sports legends in history.
Forbes wrote, “Caitlin Clark has turned her record-breaking college basketball career into early dominance in the WNBA. Her estimated $8.1 million in income from her rookie season with the Indiana Fever was bolstered by big deals with Nike, Wilson, and Gatorade, and signals a shift in how female athletes are being valued in the world of professional sports. Last month, the Fever announced that Clark would be sidelined with an injury for the remainder of the WNBA season to focus on her recovery, but the injury doesn’t change the fact that Clark has, in the last two years, been the spark that lit the match that set women’s sports on fire.”
