For the first time in 20 years, the Connecticut Sun’s home opener has sold out, thanks to the magnetic draw of WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark.
The game against the Indiana Fever has garnered unprecedented attention, with all 8,910 tickets snapped up well in advance of Tuesday’s matchup. The last sellout for a Sun opener dates back to their first game in Connecticut in 2003.
Clark, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s WNBA draft and a former standout at the University of Iowa, has brought a new level of excitement to the league. Her impact was felt right of the bat, attracting 13,000 fans to her first preseason game in Indiana against the Atlanta Dream. Even her preseason debut in Dallas saw a packed arena.
The growing interest in Clark’s games has prompted some teams to consider moving their home games to larger venues. The Los Angeles Sparks announced a move to relocate several home games to the larger Crypto.com Arena, traditionally their home venue but temporarily unavailable due to construction. This shift includes their May 24 game against Clark and the Fever, upgrading from the 5,000-seat Walter Pyramid to accommodate more fans.
Similarly, the Las Vegas Aces moved their game against the Fever from Michelob Ultra Arena to the larger T-Mobile Arena, anticipating the crowd-pulling power of Clark and 2023 No. 1 draft pick Aliyah Boston. This trend is not confined to these teams; the Washington Mystics also relocated their June 7 matchup against the Fever to the Capital One Arena to meet the increased demand driven by Clark’s rising popularity.
Clark is no stranger to competing in packed venues, as evidenced during her time at Iowa.
“For me, this is the best part of it,” Clark said following Thursday’s game, per ESPN. “You’ve got to go out and compete every single night, and if one night is not good for us, you have an opportunity to come back a couple days later and respond.”
Caitlin Clark’s influence extends to television broadcasts
Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Fever, bolstered by Clark’s presence, has found their games in particularly high demand for broadcasting as well, with 36 of their 40 regular-season games slated for national television broadcast. This is a significant uptick for a team that has not made the playoffs since 2016.
In addition to the national broadcasts, TEGNA Inc. and the Fever announced a significant broadcast partnership that will dramatically increase the team’s reach. The partnership will bring 17 Fever games to free over-the-air viewing in 12 markets, reaching approximately 4.6 million homes. The partnership includes 11 additional markets joining TEGNA’s Indianapolis NBC affiliate, WTHR, marking a milestone in the promotion of the WNBA and women’s sports on broadcast television.
The expanded broadcast coverage and the high demand for tickets reflect a growing interest in women’s basketball, largely fueled by Clark’s arrival and the performances of other prominent players like rookies Cameron Brink and Angel Reese.
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