CO-HOST | Make Money with the Caitlin Clark Effect

Summary

Travis Makes Money: "Make Money with the Caitlin Clark Effect"

Host: Travis Chappell
Guest/Co-Host: Eric (Producer)
Date: May 10, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this dynamic and humorous episode, Travis and his producer Eric dive into the meteoric rise of Caitlin Clark and the transformative financial impact her fame has had on women’s basketball, the WNBA, and sports business as a whole. The hosts explore athlete salaries, disparity in pay between men’s and women’s leagues, how star power can drive league-wide growth, and what it really takes to "make more money" in sports. Through banter, stats, anecdotes, and a bit of sports trivia, the episode reframes financial empowerment using Caitlin Clark’s story as a masterclass in value creation.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Caitlin Clark’s Salary and the WNBA Pay Landscape

• Eric poses a trivia-style question on Clark’s WNBA salary, revealing the stark reality of women’s pro athlete pay:
  • Clark’s 2025 WNBA salary: $85,000—less than many entry-level tech jobs ([02:39]).
  • Recent raise: A 521% increase for the following year, with the average WNBA salary to soon exceed $583,000 ([10:31]).
• Travis and Eric lament the low pay yet acknowledge structural reasons: limited league revenue and market demand.
• Eric: “That’s less than a mid-level Google engineer.” ([02:39])

2. The ‘Caitlin Clark Effect’: Transforming the WNBA’s Economics

• Clark’s stardom correlates with huge bumps in:
  • Viewership: WNBA TV ratings dropped 55% after her injury ([12:55]).
  • Ticket sales: Average ticket price for Clark’s road games jumped 140%, reaching $312 ([19:23]).
  • Attendance: Indiana Fever games (Clark’s team) averaged 17,000 fans/game—more than the NBA’s Pacers in the same arena ([16:00]). League-wide average rose from 6,615 to 9,807 ([16:09]).
  • Merchandise: WNBA merch sales up 504%; Clark is a top 20 athlete across all sports ([19:54]).
  • Broadcasts: 21 out of 24 WNBA games crossing the 1 million viewers mark featured Clark ([18:22]).
• Travis: “She’s a phenom.” ([19:58])

3. Big Contracts & Endorsement Deals

• Clark’s endorsement deals now dwarf her WNBA salary:
  • Nike: $28 million ([20:00])
  • Gatorade, State Farm, Wilson: multi-million dollar deals
  • Her solo Nike shoe deal outpaces her entire team’s old payroll ([21:13]).
• Eric: “Her shoe deal alone is bigger than her team’s old payroll.” ([21:13])

4. Revenue Sharing & League Transformation

• The WNBA Players Association (WNBPA) introduced a new revenue sharing system, delivering $1 billion+ in player salaries and benefits over the new contract ([09:30]).
  • Salary cap jumps from $1.5M to $7M by 2026.
  • Historic salary growth at all levels—a direct consequence of surging popularity and star power.

5. Star Power and the Future of Women's Sports

• Caitlin Clark compared to Steph Curry: “She’s the Steph Curry of the WNBA… makes shots from six feet behind the three point line… it hits that part of the brain that makes you go like, wow, that’s incredible.” – Travis ([14:29])
• Discuss the value of exceptional talent in transcending expectations and growing an entire industry.
• Steve Martin quote: “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” (Eric, [22:04])
• Lesson for female athletes: “Get really good at shooting.” (Travis, [22:15])

6. Structural Inequity or Market Reality?

• Where does the money come from for higher pay? Travis notes: “If they're losing money every year… who's going to pay them more money?” ([07:32])
• Acknowledgment that most pro athletes—men or women—don’t earn millions outside major leagues.

7. Cultural Commentary & Personal Stories

• Supporting women’s sports: Eric’s story about trying to take his daughter to a WNBA game, and her lack of interest ([04:48]).
• A mention of Bill Burr’s comedy bit about the WNBA, underlining the need for actual audience support instead of theoretical advocacy ([06:09]).
• Comedic banter and sports trivia at the end as Eric demonstrates his “sports knowledge” ([25:40]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the WNBA salary reality:
  “That's less than a mid-level Google engineer.” — Eric ([02:39])
• On Caitlin Clark’s impact:
  “Give Caitlin Clark all the money. Yeah, they should just have her shooting free throws.” — Eric ([12:56])
• On viewership drop post-injury:
  “Nationally televised WNBA games dropped 55% in viewership.” — Eric ([12:55])
• On raising the bar in women’s basketball:
  “She’s so good… Even if you’re a good male basketball player… those people can look at and be like, wow, that’s incredible.” — Travis ([14:44])
• On endorsements overtaking salary:
  “Her shoe deal alone is bigger than her team’s old payroll.” — Eric ([21:13])
• On breaking out as a star:
  “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” — Eric, quoting Steve Martin ([22:04])

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Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | Key Topic | |-----------|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------| | 01:37 | Introducing Caitlin Clark | Caitlin Clark’s growing fame | | 02:39 | Salary Reality | $85k WNBA salary reveal | | 07:10 | Market Realities | Discussing where athlete salary comes from | | 10:31 | WNBA Raises & Revenue Sharing | Historic compensation changes | | 12:55 | Viewership Drop after Injury | 55% drop revealed | | 14:29 | Clark’s On-Court Talent | Steph Curry comparison | | 16:00 | Attendance Surges | Fever beating Pacers in ticket sales | | 19:23 | Ticket Prices | 140% rise; $312 away game average | | 19:54 | Merch and Athlete Ranking | 504% sales jump; top 20 in all sports | | 20:00 | Endorsement Breakdown | Nike, Gatorade, State Farm, etc. | | 21:13 | Endorsement Surpassing Salaries | Shoe deal > old payroll | | 22:04 | “Be so good…” | Steve Martin quote on talent and value | | 25:40 | Trivia & Comedic Wrap-Up | Sports banter, lighthearted close |

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Conclusion & Key Takeaways

• Caitlin Clark is a unique talent whose popularity and skill have catalyzed a financial transformation for the WNBA and women’s sports at large. Her personal brand and on-court achievements led to record-breaking viewership, attendance, and league revenue—ultimately fueling historic pay raises and opportunity for future athletes.
• Star power matters: The path to increasing pay and closing gender gaps in sports relies not only on policy but on elevating market demand through singular, magnetic talent.
• Making more money (in sports or otherwise) means creating value so undeniable that it draws others in.
• The episode reinforces Travis’s core philosophy: You can’t save your way to your dream life—you need to make more money, and sometimes, you need to change the game itself.

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Memorable Final Words:
“Thank you, Caitlin Clark. You’re awesome. Hopefully we can get you on a dinner party episode soon.” — Travis ([28:29])
“Money only solves your money problems… so let’s solve that one first.” — Travis ([28:42])

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Transcript

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[Travis]

You're listening to the Travis Makes Money podcast, presented by GoHighLevel.com for a free 30 day trial of the best all in one digital marketing software tool on the planet, just go to gohighlevel.com travis. What's going on, everybody? Welcome back to the Travis Makes Money podcast, where it's a mission to help you make more money. On this episode, my producer Eric is in studio. What's up, man?

[Eric]

Hey, Travis.

[Travis]

Hey.

[Eric]

So we. We recently talked about Shohei Ohtani.

[Travis]

We did.

[Eric]

And he's one of the best baseball players around right now.

[Travis]

Thank you for doing that.

[Eric]

Incredibly popular in the US and number one in Japan.

[Travis]

Incredibly popular.

[Eric]

Absolutely incredible, Travis. And today I want to talk to you about another athlete who has immense pull within their field pole. Immense pull.

[Travis]

Pull.

[Eric]

Immense star power.

[Travis]

Men's pole.

[Eric]

Immense power. Travis, stop fooling around. Today I'm going to be talking about someone who has risen to superstardom within their respective sport. Okay, that figure is Caitlin Clark. Do you know who Caitlin Clark is?

[Travis]

I do.

[Eric]

I'm going to stop talking like that now. It's hurting my throat.

[Travis]

Yes. Yes. She's great.

[Eric]

Okay. Well, yeah, apparently so. Travis. I don't know. It went back to him. Some say she's the best.

[Travis]

Some say the best.

[Eric]

No. Caitlin Clark. How much do you think Caitlin Clark made last year? Let's start there.

[Travis]

From her salary?

[Eric]

Yeah, from the gas. From her salary.

[Travis]

Okay, don't look at me like that.

[Eric]

You're acting like. Last question. You're talking like I usually bring up endorsement deals and all that stuff, especially

[Travis]

because the WNBA is not paying very well.

[Eric]

Well, we'll see about that. Now listen, how much did Caitlin Clark make last year from the wnba?

[Travis]

From her salary, I would say you're gonna throw.

[Eric]

I almost threw up when I read this.

[Travis]

Like a quarter million dollars. Half a million dollars, Travis.

[Eric]

I'm going to throw up. I'm actually going to throw up on my computer. What? Get ready to throw up. Hold your hand over your mouth.

[Travis]

$112,000.

[Eric]

Lower.

[Travis]

$85,000.

[Eric]

Yeah, that's like. That's not that much.

[Travis]

Yeah, it was less than 100 grand.

[Eric]

Yeah. $85,000 last year. That's less than a mid level Google engineer. According to this perplexity when I asked him about it.

[Travis]

Less than a lot of people. Yeah.

[Eric]

That's crazy. But she did just get a 521% raise for this year.

[Travis]

Yeah, but I was gonna say she was still a part of that early contract.

[Eric]

Yeah. So here's what's going on with the WNBA right now. Well, first and foremost, Caitlin Clark should be making so much money because, well,

[Travis]

she is now not, not from the salary, I'm saying, from endorsements and stuff like that. She.

[Eric]

Because I. Because I can really only name. I don't watch a lot. I don't watch a lot of sports. I can name two.

[Travis]

Who's the second one?

[Eric]

Angel Reese.

[Travis]

Angel Reese. I figured that before.

[Eric]

Okay, so. But I'm saying those two are basically like raising the sport to like the next level.

[Travis]

Like Caitlin Clark than Angel Reese.

[Eric]

Mainly. Mainly. Well, that's debatable. I'm actually an Angel Reese, super fan and we're about to debate this on the show. But no. So here's what happened. So honestly, this is all good things. It was funny. I was trying to be. So I think it's dumb. There's a lot of people that go like, oh, wnba, why would I watch that? I'm like, well, shut up, you know, stupid. But I was like, because I don't watch the regular NBA so I'm not going to be the guy that's like wnba.

[Travis]

But that's the whole problem is. That's the problem. That's the whole problem. In a nutshell, mind you.

[Eric]

I don't like when you point at me and say that's the whole problem.

[Travis]

Everybody advocates for the WNBA and then none of them go watch it.

[Eric]

Yes. So can I. Let me tell you this story. So I've been to a couple NBA games and I like going to any kind of sporting man. I do think it's fun and you know, and I have a daughter and I was like, it would be cool for my daughter to see like pro female players.

[Travis]

And the Vegas Aces happen to be one of the best ones.

[Eric]

They're the Aces. Them's the Aces, baby. Yeah, that's what people say.

[Travis]

It doesn't tell you how good they are.

[Eric]

But anyway, so I was like, I was thinking, I was like, it'd be cool for her to see female athletes and all this sort of stuff. And so one time we went to go play basketball. We were down shooting hoops As I do.

[Travis]

As you do.

[Eric]

No, we really were. And I do do that. So I don't know.

[Travis]

You're a big hoop shooter.

[Eric]

Anyway, we were shooting hoops down at the park and we're walking back and I said, hey, I was thinking it would be really fun if I took you to like a WNBA game. I said, it's a basketball game, but it's all female players, plus it's only like $3. And I was not anymore. And I was telling you that. And then she's like, nah. And I was like, you wouldn't want to go. She's like, I wouldn't want to go to any kind of sports game. And I was like, well, I'm trying to support. Here's the thing.

[Travis]

So you just went by yourself or.

[Eric]

So I just bought two tickets and went alone. But no, but it was funny because I was just. I thought she'd be. You know when you tell your kids somewhere you're like, guess what?

[Travis]

Right, right.

[Eric]

It's like a girls basketball team. And she's like, can we just go to a movie? I don't know, you know, can we

[Travis]

just go to a regular NBA?

[Eric]

But that would have been crazy. She's like, your 8 year old year old's like, dad, I want to see a bunch of chicks play basketball. I'm like, what? Who taught you this? No, I really was. I was. Because I didn't want to be the guy that's like, whatever. Especially because I think it's weird when dads are like anything with girls and is stupid and like, well, dude, don't. What if your kid gets good at basketball? Yeah, whatever. So anyway, all that to say I tried to support the wnba. My daughter won't let me. Well, you know, women supporting women, right?

[Travis]

Anyway, that's why Bill Burr's bit about. I was like a tongue twister.

[Eric]

Bill Burr's bed.

[Travis]

Bill Burr's bit.

[Eric]

Don't talk to me about Bill Burr's bet.

[Travis]

Bill Burr's bit about basketball is, is spot on. Like, that's what I, that's, that's what I go to, to like show this is how I feel about this scenario. Is that the whole. I'm not going to say the whole thing because I'll butcher it.

[Eric]

You're gonna do Billboard's bet.

[Travis]

The premise is that it's a, it's saying that there's a lot of women who are pointing the finger at men and saying like, you should be watching wnba. Why don't you like, but this is your thing. You should be watching the BNBA and then points to how the Kardashians are billionaires and the WNBA can't afford to pay their players. And it's like, well, that's. That's on you guys, not on me. Yeah, but it's. It's a great. It's a great bit.

[Eric]

Yeah. And I do all that to say, you know, I kind of joke, obviously, you know, my daughter's not interested in going, but I joke about, like, I think it's cool that it exists. I definitely think that the people that go, it should all. Everybody should make the same amount of money for. Some man makes less money currently.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Eric]

But that isn't me saying I hope they don't ever make the money to do it. It's just. And I feel like that's a weird thing.

[Travis]

You need the Caitlin Clarks to elevate the game.

[Eric]

And it's. What's frustrating is like, it's a minefield of a conversation because it's always like. It's always like, well, I. I don't think that, you know, so and so should make as much money as Michael Jordan, you know, and it's like, you know, Michael Jordan, who famously is currently playing as LeBron James, you know, and it's like, well, that's not the same thing as saying, like, women suck.

[Travis]

Well, it's. My. My question is just always like, I agree, and where's the money coming from?

[Eric]

Right. Like, so. Sure.

[Travis]

Like, do I think that professional athletes getting paid less than six figures. Do I think that's crazy? Yeah. Do I. I think that's crazy. But also, if they're losing money every year, how, like, who's going to pay them more money? And if they can convince, because I think they. The. The WNBA or the wn.

[Eric]

You're ahead of pa.

[Travis]

The Players Association.

[Eric]

You're ahead of me.

[Travis]

Okay. Sorry. Is that what you're about to say?

[Eric]

I'm going to get into it.

[Travis]

Okay.

[Eric]

Oh, I. I was just going to say this. It is crazy that certain athletes don't make more than six figures. But also, I think it's good to remind people, too, There's a very small handful of sports where that is the case.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Eric]

Like. Or. Or where it's the case they're making more than that. Like, if you. I mean, there's a bowling documentary that just came out where it's like, you only win prize money. You know, there's people that play, like, in volleyball leagues, like, that are not raking in, you know, so we happened. When we Think of sports contracts.

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[Eric]

Baseball, football, basketball. But it's like, that's because those are the three biggest sports in soccer. That was so American to me. You know, the biggest sports. American baseball and American football. I said football. You just didn't hear me enunciate it like that. I was talking about soccer. Anyway, so the wnbpa, first of all, too big an acronym. They have introduced a new revenue sharing system expected to deliver more than a billion dollars in player salaries and benefits over the life of the agreement. Thank you, Caitlin Clark. Fantastic. Salary cap is increasing nearly 5x set at 7 million for 2026, up from 1.5 million in 2025. That's crazy that the cap on salary was 1.5 million. Again, great. Good stuff. All this to say, this is why Caitlin Clark should deserve a good chunk of this, because this. So much of this is rooted on her.

[Travis]

Yeah. Yeah. And does that tell you what percentage we're getting there?

[Eric]

Historic salary growth across all contact levels, contract levels, year one maximum to rise to 1.4 million. Average salaries to exceed 583,000. That's a ginormous jump from Caitlin Clark making $85,000 last year to, like, the average salaries being 583,000 for even the big bump. Yeah, and then Rachel heard about $300,000 based on years of service. So that's. That's a couple pieces there. Now here's her contribution. Okay, you ready?

[Travis]

Mm. Do I. Do I get to guess?

[Eric]

Yes.

[Travis]

Sweet.

[Eric]

Well, actually, may read you. Let me. Let me tell you a couple.

[Travis]

Huh?

[Eric]

No, let me get to the. Yeah, keep.

[Travis]

I want to Go back, let's restart that.

[Eric]

Okay, so let's talk about the Caitlin Clark effect. All right, let me see if I can phrase these as questions to you. I don't think I can. Well, let me. Okay, let me. I'll ask you one question and then I'll read the rest. After Caitlin Clark's injury, in 2025, nationally televised WNBA games dropped what percent in viewership? Ooh, this blew my mind. I was like, give her half the money.

[Travis]

Yeah, I was gonna say it's gotta be a large amount. Over 50%.

[Eric]

Uh huh.

[Travis]

80%.

[Eric]

No. Okay, you went too high. You always do this. I hate doing guessing games with you. Cause you always go too low or too high or perfect. That's the options.

[Travis]

You're either under it, over it, or exactly on it.

[Eric]

You're either right or wrong. And I can't stand. No, I feel like whenever I say, okay, this. Every time, personal beef. Every time I say, hey, I just got this amazing opportunity. Guess what? You guess something that's like, like way too high, astronomically. And then I'm like, no, it's just a fun game I was supposed to play. No, it's just this. And then if I say, oh, for the show. Hey, guess the percentage. You're like, oh, is it exactly this? Oh, yeah, it's exactly that. That's not interesting. Or you guess like, oh, it's too low. I have to be like, higher, higher, higher. And then you're like, oh, okay, I wouldn't have thought that. And so this is boring. I'm not going to ask questions anymore. Okay, 65% anyway. No, she's at 55%. 55%, 55%. Did I not even give you the answer? After her injury, in 2025, nationally televised WNBA games dropped 55% on viewership.

[Travis]

That's.

[Eric]

Give Caitlin Clark all the money. Yeah, yeah, they should just have her shooting free throws.

[Travis]

Well, she. She's just.

[Eric]

The thing is, why is she so big? Is it just because she's crazy good

[Travis]

at my anecdotal experience or my anecdotal opinion, rather, is that people watch the NBA or the NFL or professional athletes in general? Because you're watching freak athletes do stuff that you can't comprehend being able to do yourself.

[Eric]

You just described your time at the gym with me. Huh?

[Travis]

Yeah, totally.

[Eric]

Because I'm a freak athlete. You couldn't even understand it.

[Travis]

And so in the wnba, that doesn't exist as much because.

[Eric]

Do you see it?

[Travis]

Yeah. Do it one more time.

[Eric]

It hurts so much when I go up high. Anyway, go ahead.

[Travis]

But that just doesn't happen is because just from a pure athletic ability standpoint, you know what high school boys basketball is, is more athletically impossible to wrap your mind around than even watching wnba. But Caitlin Clark has brought so much viewership because she does stuff that is unbelievable to watch. Like she is such a, a incredible athlete. And beyond just being a great athlete, she's an incredible basketball player. She's. To me, she's the, she's the Steph Curry. And that's sort of the comparison that's made all the time. She's the Steph Curry of the wnba. Like she has like the shots that she makes from six feet behind the three point line. Like those are the things that again, like it hits that part of the br. Brain that makes you go like, wow, that's incredible.

[Eric]

You're super.

[Travis]

You have to watch it because what she's doing is so amazing and so far beyond what most people can do. And, and, and that. And that's true. Even if you are a good male basketball player, like you might be able to, you know, do a between the legs dunk or something like that, but be able to have that type of a three point percentage from six feet behind the arc in clutch moments of the game, like that's something that's still you. That those people can look at and be like, wow, that's incredible.

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Travis]

So I, I think it's just that. I think she's just. She's so good.

[Eric]

It's harder for the armchair guys. I want to be like, I could do exactly. I could beat them. If we're playing one on one in my gym and it's like, yeah, could you outshoot that?

[Travis]

Right, exactly. Which can't because she's very, very good.

[Eric]

So the here's.

[Travis]

I actually wanted to get her for dinner party. I have an email in my inbox

[Eric]

right now from or to back and

[Travis]

forth with her agent.

[Eric]

I'm trying to help grease the wheels.

[Travis]

It was way too tight of a timeline so we couldn't make it happen. But I'd love to get her on a future one. She's great.

[Eric]

So 2024 fever attendance average Was that the injury at a fever? I've got a fever. And the prescription is more funding for the WNBA and Caitlin Clark's rise. Anyway. 2024 fever attendance attended 2024 I do have a fever. I'm having trouble reading. 2024 fever attendance averaged 17,000 a game. Beat the Indiana Pacers who play in the same arena. That's crazy.

[Travis]

That is crazy. They're not like bad.

[Eric]

No, they're actually pretty good. Great salsa too. The pace, pace, pace picante.

[Travis]

I see.

[Eric]

I don't know. League attendance overall jumped to 9,807 a game from 6,615. Wow. 21 of 24.

[Travis]

50% increase in league attendance.

[Eric]

No.

[Travis]

6,000 to 9,000.

[Eric]

I guess it's close.

[Travis]

That's exactly 50%.

[Eric]

No, it's not.

[Travis]

Yes, it is. 50% increase of 6,000 is 9,000 because what's 50% of 6,000?

[Eric]

Oh, I understand what you said. 3,000. That's interesting. I feel like RFK right now. Have you seen that video with. Have you seen. Real quick. That's really interesting because that's not how I interpreted what you said. I thought you were saying that it's doubled.

[Travis]

That would be increased by a hundred percent.

[Eric]

Okay, I have to show you this RFK club. I'm so sorry. Okay. I have to show you this because this is literally.

[Travis]

Because he just did the same thing that you did.

[Eric]

This is. This is insane. This is insane. This is crazy, bro. Hold on. Here we go. So this is rfk.

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[Travis]

But I would say this. Senator, do you know what it at the President Trump has a different way of calculating. If there's two ways of calculating percentage. If you have a $600 drug and you reduce it to 10, that's a 600% reduction.

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[Eric]

That's not how math works. But anyway, that was a crazy. That was one where I watched. I was like I know that's not true.

[Travis]

Well, it's Trump math.

[Eric]

After CNN told me what to think. I don't know why I did a cons my conservative voice. I'm making fun of my sound like a Baptist preacher. Anyway, okay. So anyway. So when 21 of 24 WNBA broadcast hit a million viewers in 2024 and the 21 or I'm sorry I'm sorry, Senator, you're struggling. 21 of 24 WNBA broadcasts that hit a million viewers plus in 2024 featured Clark. When the Fever play on the road, average ticket prices rise. What percent.

[Travis]

So when they go play at other people's places.

[Eric]

Yeah. How much average ticket prices rise. What percentage?

[Travis]

I would say close to double.

[Eric]

Because they're not. That I hate you as a student is about 100%. It's 140%.

[Travis]

Yeah. I mean, like, that to me makes sense because it's not a dig. It's just. They're not that expensive.

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Travis]

So if you go from 14 to $30, like.

[Eric]

Excuse me.

[Travis]

Reasonable jump.

[Eric]

Their average road ticket is $312.

[Travis]

Seriously?

[Eric]

Yeah, dude, that actually.

[Travis]

That surprises me a lot, actually.

[Eric]

Suck on that. Fantastic.

[Travis]

So then the average ticket then would be like 150 bucks or something?

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Travis]

Before they got there. That's definitely higher than I. Than I would have thought.

[Eric]

Fanatics. Merch. WNBA sales up 500% in 504%. That's high. Damn, that's high. I'm no Elizabeth Warren, but I know that's increase. Clark personally is top 20 selling athlete across all sports.

[Travis]

Wow.

[Eric]

That's nuts.

[Travis]

Good for her.

[Eric]

So, yeah. So that's all pretty crazy.

[Travis]

She's a phenom.

[Eric]

But all this to say she's still. I think you could say underpaid because she's been making $528,000. She's still making less than the NBA rookie minimum, which is $1.2 million and a fraction of NBA top stars. $60 million. But she has endorsement incomes like Nike with a $28 million deal. Gatorade, state Farm, Wilson. It's multiple times her salary and her shoe deal. A little

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[Eric]

Her shoe deal alone is bigger than her team's old payroll. So why isn't she paying? Is it.

[Travis]

Is it Nike?

[Eric]

I believe that's Nike. Yeah. Yeah. The $28 million shoe deal. So pretty crazy, dude.

[Travis]

Yeah, that's one. It's another one of those problems that I look at and I go like, I don't know what the solution is because like, again, theoretically, sure, like I would love to see all of those women get paid a lot more money. But then it's. I just, I just go like, okay, great. On the same page, who's footing that bill? Like, who is going to. Where is the money going to come from? It's gotta come from somewhere. So that's why I love what Caitlin Clark is doing because it's elevating the entire league and putting even. Even putting the players association in a position to be able to go negotiate those types of things.

[Eric]

Well, it's the, it's the quote I told you years ago. It's that quote I told you years ago from Steve Martin. It's be so good they can't ignore you. That's what it is though.

[Travis]

It is, it is.

[Eric]

It really is.

[Travis]

Yeah. Anyway, well, the main solution, and then if you're a female basketball player, then I think the lesson is get really good at shooting.

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Travis]

Because that's ultimately what. Like, that's, that's the difference. Right. Is like you're, you're. Even. Even if a female basketball player can dunk, it's never going to be the same energy. That energy pop that you get when you see someone like LeBron jump free throw line and you know what I mean? It's just crazy athleticism that you're watching. So I've been a proponent of like some people have floated the idea of making the hoops shorter for wnba. It's like to me, start putting on my Jesse Cole hat for the wnba where you know, he was just like, yeah, I love baseball. I'm a huge baseball fan. But the game as sits is kind of boring and there's lulls and it doesn't appeal to this audience. So let's do all this cra. What if the picture was on stilts and like came. You know what I mean? Like, so there's something to that. I'm not saying to turn it into like a circus show, but I am saying like, you know, that's why I think that they're so connected. Something about the. Yeah, the circus eight foot hoop or something like that to allow some more crazy dunks and things. But that's, that's why Caitlin Clark is so unique, is that she brings that to the table. Without having this, like, peak athleticism. LeBron.

[Eric]

They don't have to change the scenario around her.

[Travis]

Yeah, exactly. She can still do stuff that you look at.

[Eric]

It's just hard to populate the rest of the league with. Because she is a freak. Well.

[Travis]

And that's a very, very difficult skill. You know, that's why Steph is Steph and Caitlin Clark is Caitlin Clark. It's like, it's very. But Steph has also changed the entire face of the NBA to also be moving more in the direction of getting really good at shooting. Or like the total volume of three point shots that are put up now versus before Steph became Steph Curry.

[Eric]

Wait, Steph Curry, the producer of the kids animated film Go. I know that guy.

[Travis]

That's Steph Curry?

[Eric]

Yeah. Okay. Interesting. Yeah, I didn't know he also played. I just knew him as a producer.

[Travis]

Funny thing is that I actually probably would believe that.

[Eric]

Okay, while we close out, ask me anything about sports and I'll know.

[Travis]

You won't.

[Eric]

No, I'm just kidding. I know Steph Curry. I know Aisha Curry. That's his wife. I know Angel Reese. I know Caitlin Clark. I know Kobe. I know Shaq. I know.

[Travis]

You're just naming all athletes that you know of.

[Eric]

Yeah, I know. Tiger Woods.

[Travis]

What's funny is that if we sat here long enough, like, a couple minutes later, you'd be out.

[Eric]

Phil Mickelson.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Eric]

That's a guy in the Advil commercial. I know. Here, I'll just keep doing slow lowball.

[Travis]

Can you name any current golfers?

[Eric]

Just Phil Mickelson. Not play anymore?

[Travis]

No. Well, I mean, kind of, but not.

[Eric]

Oops.

[Travis]

Not as good. Not.

[Eric]

Not in the name a current golfer

[Travis]

in the current races.

[Eric]

Tiger Woods.

[Travis]

He's not.

[Eric]

He's a. He doesn't golf.

[Travis]

Not after this last dui.

[Eric]

Paige Spiranack. I only know that because of you.

[Travis]

Yeah, but she's also not a golfer.

[Eric]

That. Really, I'm flummoxed.

[Travis]

She's a golf influencer, not a professional golfer. Did you watch Happy Gilmore, too?

[Eric]

No.

[Travis]

Okay, well, Happy Gilmore. I was gonna.

[Eric]

Is active.

[Travis]

I was gonna try to.

[Eric]

Ask me. Ask me a basketball. Ask me a basketball. One movie that you might ask me a basketball one.

[Travis]

What do you mean, any?

[Eric]

Last question. Yeah. Yao Ming.

[Travis]

What team does Steph Curry play for?

[Eric]

Oh, that's easy. It's the. Hold on. Wait, don't tell me. It's the yellow and the blue. Hold on, hold on, hold on. No, no, no, no, no, no. Hold on. It's yellow. And blue. It's the Golden State Warriors.

[Travis]

That's right.

[Eric]

Do another one.

[Travis]

Great.

[Eric]

One more.

[Travis]

What about what team does Kawhi Leonard play for? Since you referenced him?

[Eric]

Different.

[Travis]

Different one.

[Eric]

Ask me a different one that I know.

[Travis]

All right. What team is home to New York?

[Eric]

Madison Square Garden home to New York. Or do you mean that New York is their home?

[Travis]

New York is where they play. What team is that?

[Eric]

Oh, that would be the New York. Okay, hold on. The New York Knicks. See, good job, because I was cycling through. The jets is football. The New York Knicks is the New York place. And then they have the New York Yankees is baseball.

[Travis]

That's correct.

[Eric]

New York has two baseball teams.

[Travis]

Right?

[Eric]

Or is that just San Diego has two San Diego. Or, I mean, California has, like, a bunch.

[Travis]

LA has the Angels.

[Eric]

We have the Angels. We have the Dodgers. Yeah. The Padres.

[Travis]

But it's the LA Angels now instead of the Anaheim Angels.

[Eric]

They got to stop changing. I can't even catch up. It's like, stop adjusting your speed. I'm trying to get on the bus.

[Travis]

Yeah, totally.

[Eric]

Okay, here's one.

[Travis]

That's how I'd describe you.

[Eric]

Okay, Stephanie, I'm trying to get on

[Travis]

the bus of professional football.

[Eric]

Wait a minute. LeBron James.

[Travis]

Yeah. That's a guy.

[Eric]

And where does he play? He plays for. Well, he used to play for Cleveland. Yeah. But he doesn't now. Now he plays for Lakers and what else?

[Travis]

What other team?

[Eric]

He plays for two teams at the same time.

[Travis]

No, no. What was the other team he played for?

[Eric]

Boston Celtics.

[Travis]

No, the Cleveland.

[Eric]

Wait, hold on. Cleveland. Cleveland Cavaliers. The Bulls. Nope, that was Jordan.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Eric]

Do you know, are you surprised any of that Here, I'm gonna do that. I'll keep giving sports trivia as I lower my microphone volume down. And then you can just close this out.

[Travis]

Wait, but you didn't catch third team.

[Eric]

Bobby Knight used to throw chairs at people.

[Travis]

What was the third team? You know this one.

[Eric]

Oh, yeah. Third team from where?

[Travis]

Third team that LeBron played for.

[Eric]

No, I don't.

[Travis]

He went there after he left Cleveland the first time, and then he went back to Cleveland. It was like a big thing. It was called the Decision, where he famously did a press conference and left Cleveland to go to the Lakers.

[Eric]

No, no, he's already there.

[Travis]

He's there now.

[Eric]

The Celtics.

[Travis]

You already guessed that.

[Eric]

Okay, the Suns.

[Travis]

He said, I'm going to South Beach. That was the announcement. Who plays in South Beach? The Miami Heat.

[Eric]

Yeah, that's right. I knew that one. Totally. Yeah.

[Travis]

You definitely.

[Eric]

I wanted to say the Jazz. But that's Utah.

[Travis]

The Miami Jazz.

[Eric]

The Utah Heat. Can't beat the Utah Heat.

[Travis]

All right, whatever. Bottom line is, thank you, Caitlin Clark. You're awesome. Hopefully we can get you on a dinner party episode soon. Anyway, that's it for this episode of the show. Remember, money only solves your money problems. But it's easy to solve the rest of your problems. Money in the bank. So let's solve that one first here on the Travis Makes Money podcast. Thanks for tuning in. Catch you guys next time. Peace.

[Eric]

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