Although Caitlin Clark has just wrapped up her historic rookie year, it looks like she’s already got her retirement plan set and ready to go. CC has big dreams that will keep her close to the world of sports. After being named Athlete of the Year, the rising star took some time to share her vision for the future. But it looks like there could be a major roadblock.
“I love basketball,” she said in a recent interview with TIME, “and hopefully, once [playing] basketball ends, I can still find things that I’m really passionate about and can do. I’ll hopefully be an owner of a sports team one day.” Well, it’s not just basketball that’s on her radar.
We know for a fact, that she is already making moves beyond basketball, and one of her major goals involves investing in women’s sports. “The price is only going up,” she pointed out, referring to the growing value and popularity of women’s sports. Considering her recent actions, one area she’s eyeing is soccer.
As the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) gears up for expansion to 16 teams, multiple cities are in the running for the coveted spot, including Cincinnati. The city’s ownership group is already in the news with the addition of Caitlin Clark, but there’s an enormous challenge ahead.
via Imago
Cleveland is pushing back hard with a proposal that could be difficult to beat. They’ve secured a prime 13.6-acre site near Progressive Field for a $150 million stadium project. The stadium is set to seat 12,500 fans, that could be expanded to 20,000. While Cincinnati has the advantage of an existing stadium, TQL Stadium, Cleveland’s substantial investment could make it tough for Clark and her team to clinch that final spot.
But this is just her first step into the business. Along the way, she’ll come across plenty more opportunities to expand her reach. And honestly, let’s not even start counting down to her retirement yet—it’s a long race ahead. While sports team ownership is one big dream, her entrepreneurial spirit doesn’t stop there.
Caitlin Clark’s dream of owning a restaurant
During a podcast last month, with her former Iowa Hawkeyes teammates, Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall, CC revealed another lifelong aspiration. This one is a bit more laid-back but equally exciting. She wants to open her own restaurant or coffee shop someday.
“Have you ever seen them put up like that dream thing, you know?” Clark said during the podcast, laughing as she recalled a childhood wish.
“One of the ones said, like, ‘own a restaurant,’ so one day, I have to accomplish that.” She even had a name picked out. “I grew up, and there was always this random open lot, and I always told my mom I was going to open this restaurant called The Rib Shack. Or wait—it was Rib Crib! I wanted to have barbecue ribs and all that stuff.”
She shared a funny memory about being heartbroken when the lot got purchased and turned into a retirement home. “Every time we drove by, I’d tell my mom, ‘That’s my lot!’” the Fever star said, laughing. But it’s not just barbecue on her mind anymore. “Hopefully, one day, maybe I’ll have a coffee shop or a restaurant, just as a fun thing once I’m done playing,” she added.
While Clark seems to have all this mapped out for her post-retirement days, she can make these dreams happen now. With her net worth already around $4 million and more earning sources apart from her WNBA salary, she’s financially ready. Who knows what chapters she’ll unfold next?
