Sellout crowd enjoys Caitlin Clark's home debut, leaves with a lot to be desired on the court
It was an electric atmosphere for Thursday's Fever game, but patience is needed. Fans got their first glimpse of Caitlin Clark at home as they faced the Liberty, who reached the finals last year.
An NBA Finals game was held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse…
No, wait.
It was the Indiana Fever. It was their home opener and fans had been counting down the days for their chance to see Caitlin Clark, coming off one of the most prolific collegiate careers of all-time, since the day she declared for the WNBA Draft. That was on Feb. 29.
She was then the No. 1 pick — and is now the point guard on a team that needs a boost, with their sights set on returning to the postseason for the first time since 2016.
“She’s the greatest disruptor our game has ever seen,” said longtime basketball analyst Debbie Antonelli, who is back working on the team’s local telecast.
A sellout crowd of 17,274 saw the Fever handled by the New York Liberty 102-66 in their second game of the season. The Fever never led, but they were within 11 entering the fourth quarter. The Liberty then ran off 12 points in a row to start the fourth quarter and the deficit ballooned from there.
“We’ve just got to get an attitude a little bit when people score on us,” said Fever head coach Christie Sides postgame. “You just can’t let it be so easy and let them do what they want on us. It all goes back to having a little bit of fight, passion and toughness.”
Game 1 at The Fieldhouse was memorable — for so many reasons beyond the game.
The Demand
Tickets are in high-demand to see the girls of the summer, but primarily Clark. Everyone, from parents to basketball fans to little girls and boys, wants a glimpse of the 22-year-old guard from Des Moines.
“I didn't really know what to expect coming here, how aware people would be or how many people would recognize me,” Clark said. “But really, it hasn't changed at all for my Iowa City.
“You can tell just the excitement and the buzz around the city for this team, for myself, it really hasn't changed in any regard. I think that's honestly been something that's been an adjustment, but it's also been super cool to see how invested people are in the Indiana Fever.
Merchandize is difficult to keep in stock (if you can even find a jersey in the first place). Season tickets soared — and the team subsequently shuffled staff resources to that area. Single-game tickets to this home opener, balcony seats that were unavailable in previous seasons because the top level was curtained off, sold out in about three minutes.
Everything about this game felt more like an NBA playoff atmosphere — and not the Fever. Even building security was instructed to their black blazers rather than just a polo, as they’ve previously worn in the summer for Fever games.
This is the new normal for Clark and the Fever.
So is moving venues.
Already, four of their 11 opponents have moved their home games against the Fever to the NBA arena with a much larger capacity: Las Vegas Aces, Washington Mystics, LA Sparks and Atlanta Dream.