Fewer Caitlin Clark and Fever Games Moved to Bigger Arenas—For Now
The WNBA’s surge in popularity over the last two seasons has been impossible to miss.
Since Caitlin Clark joined the league back in 2024, the WNBA has seen the most attention it ever has in numerous metrics -- attendance, merchandise sales, and media deals. Not only did Clark serve as the catalyst for said growth, demand to see her play ultimately led to teams moving their games against the Indiana Fever to larger arenas. But Clark's injury-riddled sophomore season meant she was absent for many of those games in bigger venues in 2025.
As a result, resell ticket prices plummeted and demand to get in the door was not was it was when No. 22 was in the lineup.
Fast forward to the 2026 WNBA season and thus far the Fever have seen a drop-off in games that have been moved compared to last year. They currently have four games changed to bigger venues, a significant decrease from nine last season.
Overall, the WNBA has an increase in the games moved from 15 in 2025 to 19 in 2026. This is mostly due to the addition of two expansion teams. The four games involving the Fever are:
July 5 at Las Vegas Aces (T-Mobile Arena)
Aug. 8 at Chicago Sky (United Center)
Aug. 18 at Toronto Tempo (Scotiabank Arena)
Aug. 20 at Dallas Wings (American Airlines Center)
Why Additional Schedule Changes May Be Inevitable
Just last season there were several instances where teams later announced the shift to larger venues, particularly when scheduled to play the Fever. The Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream, and Dallas Wings all announced the changes well after the schedule was released. So, it's safe to say that based on precedent, the lower total for 2026 may just be a temporary blip.
If Clark's injury is the reason other franchises might have hesitated to repeat the switch, there has been good news on that front. In an interview during USA Basketball training camp in December, Clark confirmed that she is "100% healthy." Assuming she's at full strength and a new CBA is completed, it feels inevitable that more arena moves will be on the way.
The Fever were once again the WNBA's largest attendance draw last season, where according to Front Office Sports, the franchise's average road attendance was15,884. This number was a staggering 4,000 more than other team in the league.
Meaning if the WNBA wants to pick up the momentum where it left off, Clark and the Fever remain the clear focal point.
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Lindsay Burke covers women’s basketball for Indiana Fever On SI and Women’s Fastbreak On SI. She graduated from Purdue University Fort Wayne with a Bachelor's Degree in journalism and a minor in media production. Early in her career she covered ECHL hockey, the NFL and college football and has since expanded her expertise to the WNBA and the Fever franchise.
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