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EAST TEXAS (KLTV/KTRE) - Recently, the WNBA, Women’s National Basketball Association, held the league draft and not surprisingly, Caitlin Clark was drafted number one.

The draft had hardly ended before inspection of Clark’s rookie salary became a topic of conversation. As a rookie, the 22-year-old will make $76,000 from her play on the court. The comparison is between Clark’s pay and her NBA counterpart who plays for the San Antonio Spurs who will make $12 million his first season.

That has sparked debate on the disparity between female and male sports compensation again. Should female pro basketball stars make as much as their male counterparts? It is a big question and we have to keep in mind that sports are a unique animal, unlike any other industry. The hard truth is that the WNBA loses about $10 million a year.

The NBA covers that loss plus about $5 million more through subsidies. So, the reality is that if the WNBA were a typical business, it would probably go out of business. But kudos to league ownership in the NBA and WNBA on keeping the league afloat. Like it or not, sports profitability largely rests on media rights deals which are driven by audience potential.

If people don’t watch the WNBA, then those rights are small. Perhaps that will change over time, but capitalism doesn’t work when economic pillars are artificially propped up. And know that Kaitlyn Clark has already earned millions and will earn millions more in N-I-L compensation and endorsements. She and others will be ok.