Caitlin Clark driving surge in Indiana Fever ticket demand

Interest ahead of the WNBA season has rarely been higher and much of this is attributed to one player.

On 16 April, 22-year-old Caitlin Clark became a professional player in the WNBA when she was selected by Indiana Fever with the number 1 pick in the 2024 Draft.

The former University of Iowa star was twice named National Player of the Year and set a record for points in college basketball in both the men’s and women’s categories by scoring a total of 3,951, more than any other basketball player in history.

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The Des Moines born player’s performances and numbers generated an unprecedented interest in NCAA basketball with her presence helping break television audience records as 18.9 million viewers witnessed Iowa’s final loss to South Carolina, and no one wanted to miss the 6-foot-4 guard’s performance.

The 22-year-old has become hot commercial property too, starring in commercials and T.V. shows, and even has her own ‘Crunch Time’ breakfast cereal. Clark was also sought after by a number of sports brands before signing with Nike in October 2022 on a NIL deal. Now, she’s close to finalizing a multi-year endorsement deal with Nike that includes her very own signature shoe.

Indiana Fever fever

Only an hour after the WNBA Draft, Caitlin Clark’s jersey, the number 22 for the Fever, was sold out in sizes XS, M, L, XL and XXL according to The Athletic. It remains sold-out and is only available for pre-order, confirming her impact in the basketball world.

With the new WNBA season just a matter of days away too, demand to see the player in action at close quarters is boosting ticket sales for all Indiana Fever Games, both at home and on the road with StubHub claiming that demand for 2004 tickets has increased by 93%.

The online ticketing platform claims that reigning champions the Las Vegas Aces have the highest ticket demand prior to the new season based on cumulative ticket sales for the 2024 season as of 30 April. This puts the Aces ahead of the New York Liberty, Fever, Seattle Storm and Chicago Sky, who make up the top five.