Caitlin Clark fever has officially arrived.
The Indiana star made his WNBA preseason debut on Friday and showed why he was the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft.
Clark continued his Fever pace in a 79-76 loss to the Dallas Wings on the road, leading the way with 21 points and hitting five threes on 13 attempts.
They lost to the Wings in the preseason. Getty Images
Additionally, Dallas’ College Park Center packed the 6,251-seat arena, and some said the game had a playoff atmosphere, even though it was a preseason game.
That was after Dallas averaged just over 4,600 fans per game last season. According to the Bureau of Statistics.
“The Caitlin Clark effect is very real. My cousin and I went to a good portion of the Dallas Wings’ home games last season, and UTA’s upper deck was the place to go for a WNBA game, let alone a playoff game. It had never been open.” 1 user wrote in X. The building was completely sold out for preseason games. ”
Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw noted that Clark’s professional debut had more energy and more people in the stands.
And it happened at the same time the Mavericks were hosting Game 6 of their first-round series against the Clippers.
“I’ve been here before when the upper deck was covered in tarps. This is what Caitlin Clark will be doing tonight in the preseason game between the Mavs and Stars, Game 6.” Clark said. We scored eight points in the first five minutes.” he wrote to x.
Clark had 16 points at halftime and immediately hit a crossover and step-back 3-pointer, adding five more points in the second half.
The extra energy in the building was felt by players on both sides.
“It’s really great that Caitlin is bringing so much attention to women’s basketball, and I’m really grateful,” Wings center Kalani Brown said, according to the Associated Press.
of Clark’s presence drew a lot of attention to the league.And at the beginning of the week StubHub announced a surge in ticket sales 93% compared to last season.
“At StubHub, we are seeing a significant increase in demand for the WNBA, as well as NCAAW basketball last season, marking a remarkable moment in the popularity of the sport and the league. tripled, setting a league record for StubHub,” StubHub spokesperson Adam Buderi said in a statement Wednesday.
“Heading into this season, Caitlin Clark’s impact has been shocking, with searches for the Indiana Fever increasing an unprecedented 15x after her WNBA draft announcement.”
The company said Fever sales have “jumped 13x” since Clark was selected in the WNBA draft.
The Fever will hold their first and only home preseason contest against the Atlanta Dream on May 9th, when Clark will make his debut in front of an Indiana crowd.
The team begins the regular season on May 14 against the Connecticut Sun.
