The last time Adam Silver commented on the WNBA’s CBA negotiations, he agreed that players deserved a larger share of revenue. But later, he added that “share” wasn’t the right way to frame it. As a result, his comments met with heavy backlash, and he stayed quiet for a while. But now he’s speaking up again, bringing Caitlin Clark right into it.

Speaking on FDSNI, Silver showered praises upon the Indiana Fever sensation: “To see the popularity of Caitlin, to see the Fever exploding in popularity – not just here in Indianapolis, Indiana, but globally – it’s remarkable.”

And he’s right. Since Clark arrived in the WNBA, the numbers have surged across almost every category. The league shattered its all-time single-season attendance record with 2.5 million fans last year. WNBA broadcasts drew more than 54 million unique television viewers in 2024. Capitalising most on her fandom is the Indiana Fever.

Having CC on the team has helped Indy grow attendance to 25-20% with several sold-out games last season. Also, her arrival had helped the WNBA expand. For the first time since 2008, the WNBA added a 13th team, the Golden State Valkyries, and they immediately found major success. Now, two more teams, in Toronto and Portland, are on the way.

Moreover, the league in 2026 will be stepping into the first year of an 11-year media-rights deal reportedly worth $2.2 billion. That agreement is expected to triple the WNBA’s current media-rights revenue. So, from TV ratings to merchandise sales to the cultural shift around fan engagement, Caitlin Clark has had a massive impact on the league – just as Silver acknowledged.

But what makes Silver’s comments even more noteworthy is how they land at a sensitive moment.

To get some context, we need to rewind a bit. After the Lynx were eliminated from the playoffs in late September, Napheesa Collier’s comments caused a sensation in the WNBA. She recalled a conversation in which Engelbert supposedly said Clark should be grateful for her $16 million in off-court earnings because, without the WNBA platform, she wouldn’t make anything.

Since then, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has spent months under scrutiny for allegedly undervaluing Clark. While she denied those comments, the damage was already done. Fans, players, and analysts from across the league rallied behind, arguing that Clark has added immense value and deserves recognition accordingly.

In that context, Silver’s praise feels like an ointment on old wounds. But, maybe, something else as well?

So what’s actually on the table?

The league has proposed a salary cap tied to league revenue beginning in 2027. Under the current offer, each team would have a $5 million salary cap. With simple math, a $5 million cap divided among 12 players wouldn’t reach the rumored average salary of more than $500,000. This means additional money would likely come from revenue sharing.

This means top players could earn around $1.2 million total, whereas the minimum salary could rise to about $225,000. On paper, the numbers look good. But there are trade-offs. Players could end up receiving less than 15% of league revenue, and that share could decrease over time.

Also, according to recent proposals, the league had also removed team-provided housing, something that could hurt rookies and hardship players the most. The WNBA also wants to shift training camp to mid-March – a change that would conflict with both college basketball and overseas commitments.

And not just that. Roster size, season length, and draft eligibility rules are also under review. So the question now is: Was Adam Silver’s praise an attempt to pacify angry fans?