There might be a slew of players in the WNBA who are frustrated with the arrival of Caitlin Clark, and the fanfare that accompanies her, but the owners sure must be thrilled.
The WNBA has gained more traction in the early weeks of the 2024 season than perhaps ever before, garnering more national television opportunities, as well as more fans in arena seats across the league.
New data shows that the Indiana Fever, who drafted University of Iowa standout Caitlin Clark first overall in the draft, have already surpassed their entire 2023 attendance figure in just five games.
The Fever have ALREADY broken their 2023 attendance 😱
Caitlin Clark’s been there for FIVE GAMES 🤯#FeverRising [1] | #WNBA [2] pic.twitter.com/5MRkq4JJtO [3]
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) June 1, 2024 [4]
The Fever are averaging 16,571 fans per home game this season, with their low being an attendance of 15,022 and a high of 17,274.
For reference, last year the average attendance was only 9,551 and, as stated above, the overall attendance figure for the entirety for the season was less than the Fever’s first five games this season. Â The Fever have only notched two victories thus far this season, with their first home victory coming Saturday against Chicago Sky, but their ceiling for success and continued excitement seems to be sky-high with Clark’s presence.
It’s not just the Indiana Fever, however, who have won from the Clark buzz. Statistics throughout the league are trending upward and conversations surrounding the WNBA have been more positive than in the past when the league was often mocked by both sports fans and casual observers.