The Indiana Fever has released a midseason report outlining the franchise’s remarkable improvement this season, due to rookie #1 overall pick Caitlin Clark.
In an official release on their website titled “So Far This Season, Fans Are Engaging with the Indiana Fever in Record Numbers,” the Indiana Fever reported staggering growth across multiple aspects of the franchise, including a 265% increase in attendance and a 1,193% increase in jersey sales.
Other eye-popping statistics include a 740% increase in beer sold at games, a 225% increase in partnerships, giving them the most sponsors in the league, and an increase of 1.3 million followers across their social media platforms since April 15, when the team selected Caitlin Clark from the University of Iowa in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
The Indiana Fever, who had an 11-15 record after 26 games (the WNBA season consists of 40 regular season games), have also played in 38 nationally broadcast games, the most in the league.
While Clark’s name is not mentioned in the Fever’s press release, it’s clear that the 22-year-old is directly responsible for the astounding surge in engagement that the Fever and the WNBA as a whole are seeing.
“This is a historic moment, an inflection point for women’s basketball, and there’s nothing more fitting than Indiana being at the center of it all,” said CEO Mel Raines in a news statement. “Over several seasons, we have built a young, talented roster that fans are excited to support, and this is momentum that we will build off for years to come.”
Eight of the WNBA’s 12 teams qualify for the postseason, with the Fever currently in seventh place. Given the historic attention she has brought to the league, the WNBA will undoubtedly be hoping that Clark and the Fever qualify for the playoffs in order to maintain their exceptional momentum.
Clark, the odds-on favorite for WNBA Rookie of the Year, has started every game for the Fever this season and is averaging 17.1 points, 8.2 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game.
