Indiana Fever leads in 2023 home attendance after 5 games

Following the recent draft of arguably the biggest college sports superstar in recent history, the WNBA’s Indiana Fever have already surpassed the team’s total home attendance for all of 2023 — and it only took five games this season.

The Fever attracted just over 81,000 fans to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for 20 home games last season, as reported by data from Across the Timeline. This marked the second-lowest attendance in the WNBA and was a challenging season for ticket sales in franchise history.

However, this season, the Fever’s attendance has already exceeded 82,000 in just the first five home games, all thanks to one person: Caitlin Clark.

From shattering the all-time college basketball scoring record, to drawing the highest ratings for a WNBA game in ESPN history, Caitlin Clark has undeniably made a significant impact on women’s sports, fueling a tangible momentum.

As a two-time national college player of the year, Caitlin Clark was no stranger to selling out arenas even before joining the WNBA. Since being selected first overall by Indiana in this year’s draft, the hype around women’s basketball has soared.

“I’m grateful for the support and excitement,” Clark expressed about the increased popularity of the WNBA. “This is what the league and its players have deserved for a long time.”

She is part of a star-studded rookie class including Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, and Cameron Brink, all contributing to the unprecedented support for women’s basketball overall.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert described the meteoric rise not just as an increase in interest but also in financial investment.

“Three years ago, we may not have been ready for this moment, but that’s why we raised that capital,” Engelbert mentioned in an interview with ESPN. “We survived the pandemic year and are now thriving.”

With the boost in attention and funding, Engelbert announced in May that the WNBA will allocate $50 million to provide full-time charter flights to all teams over the next two seasons, ending the tradition of players flying commercially. She also expressed plans to expand the league by four additional teams by the 2028 season.

Scripps Sports is broadcasting WNBA games every Friday night on ION for a second season. Tune in this Friday, June 7, to watch Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever face off against Ariel Atkins and the Washington Mystics at 7:30 p.m. ET. Additionally, catch the Seattle Storm versus the two-time defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces later that night at 10 p.m. ET.

ION’s 14-week WNBA schedule is accessible to TV and streaming viewers nationwide, including 40+ national, regional, or local games to be broadcast until Sept. 13.

Click here to view the full upcoming WNBA on ION schedule.