- The Indiana Fever rolled past the Minnesota Lynx 74-59 to lift their first Commissioner’s Cup trophy, a mid-season title that doubles as a lucrative payday. While Caitlin Clark watched from the bench nursing a groin strain, veterans Natasha Howard, Aliyah Boston and Sophie Cunningham steered the win that sent the crowd at Minneapolis’ Target Center into a frenzy.
Because the Cup carries a dedicated $500,000 purse, each of the Fever’s 11 active players will pocket roughly $45,000–$50,000—an eye-opening sum in a league where the standard Cup prize is about $30,000 per winner and an extra $5,000 for the game’s MVP. By contrast, players on the team that captures the WNBA championship later this year will earn only around $20,000 apiece.
Clark congratulated her teammates but quickly pivoted to the pay structure, telling followers on Instagram Live that the incentive “makes no sense” when the Cup out-pays the season’s ultimate prize. Her frustration echoed a long-running grievance among players who believe the league’s marquee moments should deliver bigger checks than a one-off in-season event.
Fans and media figures rallied behind her stance almost immediately. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy amplified Clark’s comments on social media, and message boards lit up with comparisons to NBA postseason bonuses and broader discussions of the gender pay gap. The chatter underscores how Clark’s star power now serves as a megaphone for systemic issues that pre-date her rookie year.
With Clark and Napheesa Collier already named All-Star captains, the Cup victory further cements the Fever’s resurgence and keeps the spotlight on compensation reform. Whether the WNBA’s next collective-bargaining round moves the needle remains to be seen, but Clark’s critique—backed by a tangible $500,000 windfall—has pushed the wage conversation to center court once again.
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