The WNBA All-Star Weekend is just days away, marking the 21st edition of the midseason spectacle. However, Caitlin Clark announced Thursday that she will not participate due to a right groin injury, despite the league hosting the weekend in Indianapolis for the first time to capitalize on her popularity.
Despite Clark’s absence, the All-Star Game on July 19 is already sold out, with an estimated 70,000 people expected to attend the weekend’s festivities. While the All-Star weekend would surely bring in significant revenue for the league, the players will get their fair share, too, with enough bonuses built into the weekend.
How Much Money Can Players Earn During All-Star Weekend?
The weekend will kick off with the STARRY 3-Point Contest and Kia WNBA Skills Challenge. This year’s 3-point contest will be highly anticipated, as it features a solid lineup that includes Sabrina Ionescu, Allisha Gray, Kelsey Plum, and Sonia Citron.
THE STAGE IS SET 🌟
Team Clark and Team Collier have locked in their final rosters for the 2025 @ATT WNBA All-Star Game!
Watch them take the court in Indianapolis July 19 at 8:30pm/ET on ABC. pic.twitter.com/sfFEELUyGb
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 9, 2025
While defending champion Gray received just $2,575 for her victory last year, the prize is far sweeter this year. Insurance giant Aflac has upped the stakes, as the winner will receive $60,000Â this year. The company has even extended this investment to the Skills Challenge, though with a slightly smaller prize.
The Kia WNBA Skills Challenge, which Gray also won last year, will award $55,000 to the winner this year and feature Natasha Cloud, Courtney Williams, Erica Wheeler, and Skylar Diggins alongside the defending champion.
Although the participants of these contests do not receive anything for their contributions at this point, that could be expected to change with ongoing discussions around the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
However, the All-Star Game will reward all participants $2,575 each. Players will also be incentivized to bring their best performance, as the MVP of the game will earn double that figure, at $5,150. These figures have not increased from last year as they were decided under the CBA of 2020, but they will likely increase.
The weekend in Indianapolis will bring a lot of excitement as the season comes to a much-needed halt. While the players would surely be competing hard at these events, they must stay aware of the fact that an injury at this point could derail their season. So even though it gets tempting to go all out with eyes across the league watching, the players must tread carefully.
