In a remarkable turn of events, the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is outpacing its NBA counterpart, the Indiana Pacers, in national television coverage. This surge in visibility is largely attributed to the anticipated arrival of Caitlin Clark, the Iowa star and presumptive first overall pick in the upcoming WNBA draft.
The Fever, which held the second-to-last position in WNBA home attendance last season, has seen a significant "spike" in ticket interest and prices since Clark declared for the draft. The team is capitalizing on this increased interest by pre-selling single-game tickets for two games per day over a 15-day stretch leading up to the draft.
The Fever's home opener, scheduled for May 16 against the New York Liberty, has seen a 50% price increase since Clark's declaration, according to ticket marketplace Vivid Seats. The average resale price for home games on ticket platform SeatGeek has risen to $182, a 136% increase from the previous year.
"Three things drive demand for tickets," said Chris Leyden, director of growth marketing at SeatGeek. "It's one, how popular the team is overall ... Two, it's how good the team is. Winning teams always drive up demand. Three, to me, is the star player factor. And this just absolutely checks the box."
The "Caitlin Clark effect" extends beyond the Fever's home games. The Las Vegas Aces, for instance, moved their July 2 game against Indiana to the larger T-Mobile Arena due to heightened demand for tickets. The Seattle Storm also made a five-game ticket mini-plan available, with two of the five games featuring matchups with the Fever.
The WNBA is capitalizing on the buzz surrounding Clark's arrival. The league announced that the Fever will have 36 of its 40 games this season shown by national broadcast or streaming partners. This is a substantial increase from the previous season's 22 appearances and far surpasses the Pacers' six national games in the 2023-24 season.
The anticipation surrounding Clark's debut is palpable, fueled by her electrifying performances during the NCAA tournament. However, questions linger about her ability to navigate the challenges of professional basketball. Despite these concerns, the excitement surrounding Clark's arrival signals the dawn of a new era for the Indiana Fever and the WNBA.
As Clark herself aptly put it, "Reality is coming," signaling the dawn of a new era for both herself and the Indiana Fever.
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