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The Indiana Fever has published a midseason report detailing the massive growth the franchise has seen this season thanks to rookie #1 overall pick Caitlin Clark.
In an official release posted on their website titled “So Far This Season, Fans Are Engaging with the Indiana Fever in Record Numbers,” the Indiana Fever reported that they have seen staggering growth across multiple facets of the franchise, including a 265% increase in attendance and 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 highest number of sponsors in the league, and have added 1.3 million followers across their social media platforms since April 15, which is the day the team selected Caitlin Clark out of the University of Iowa in the 2024 WNBA Draft (their current 1.8 million followers is now the most in the league).
The Indiana Fever, who have an 11-15 record after 26 games (there are 40 regular season games in the WNBA season), also has played in 38 nationally televised games, which is the most in the league.
While Clark’s name is not mentioned in the Fever’s press release, it’s undeniable that the 22-year-old is directly responsible for the stunning increase in engagement that the Fever, and the WNBA at large, are seeing across the board.
“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,” Chief Executive Officer Mel Raines in the press release. “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.”
via Indiana Fever
Eight of the 12 teams in the WNBA qualify for the postseason, and the Fever currently sit in 7th. Given the historic attention she’s brought to the league, the WNBA will obviously be hoping that Clark and the Fever will qualify for the playoffs in order to keep this unprecedented momentum going.
So far during her rookie season, Clark, the odds-on favorite to win WNBA Rookie of the Year, has started in all of the Fever’s games and is averaging 17.1 points, 8.2 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game.