Abstract: WNBA legend Candace Parker announced her retirement yesterday, but like everything else Parker does, she did it differently: In the announcement, she outlined plans to double down on her business ambitions, including owning a WNBA team. and NBA team. Be full of energy tomorrow.
plan: Like fellow athlete-entrepreneurs Serena Williams and Sue Bird, Parker has big plans for her post-playing career: In addition to professional basketball ownership, Parker plans to increase her involvement in broadcasting and production and expand her business portfolio.
resume: Parker came in at No. 13 with estimated earnings of $8.1 million. Forbes Ranking of the highest-paid female athletes in 2023. WNBA salaries are capped at around $200,000, so most of Parker's income comes from blue-chip endorsement deals with companies like Adidas, Gatorade and CarMax, the latter of which was a recent sponsor of ESPN. 30 vs 30 documentary.
- Parker has been a trailblazer on and off the court, especially as a brand ambassador: She is one of only 12 W athletes to have released a signature shoe (two with Adidas) and in 2021 became the first female athlete to grace the cover of the video game NBA 2K, proving her cultural influence on the game as a whole.
- And her business acumen is evident in her own endeavors: her lucrative NBA analyst job with Turner Sports made her the first woman to call the NBA All-Star Game, and she's backed startups like trading card exchange Alt and professional women's volleyball league LOVB.
Zoom out: As women's sports become more popular (and thriving), athletes can now be invested in the same way as their male counterparts. Female athletes are building brands that transcend sports, driving growth in women's sports and beyond. Parker also argues that greater visibility for female athletes translates to support in the boardroom. Not businessmen, but business.
