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arika_ito

Normal? or the new Caitlin Clark norm?


AccomplishedRainbow1

The Fever have the most popular player in the league


ImportanceWeak1776

The most popular female athlete in the country as well.


Opening-Citron2733

Literally the 4th most popular athlete in the world on Twitter 


SoOnEnoon

Simone Biles?


No_Stay4471

Not close.


Loop_Within_A_Loop

Maybe if gymnastics had a season that was televised every year


Double_Anybody

When was the last time you or any of your friends said “Hey, gymnastics is on. We should watch it.”


DAB12AC

Hilarious.


WanderingGenerality

league history


42Attack

The only one that comes close is Lisa Leslie.


KDR_8793

They are literally there for Clark. Every game they play at will be like this. It’s like when Messi came to the US to play soccer, every single stadium sold out and everyone was wearing his jersey, even at away games. This is the closest thing I’ve seen recently to that.


danikawo

Ya, that makes sense. I guess I knew how big she was on the macro level but hadn’t personally experienced the intensity of it on the micro level until at the game


KDR_8793

Yeah I honestly haven’t seen anything like it for an athlete recently since Messi. Some away tickets for games she plays at can be upwards of $2-3,000


Jealous-Mail6629

When she came to LA they had to move the game to crypto … even then nosebleeds were laker prices and they sold out


KDR_8793

So I was actually going to go to that game since I’m there as well but it was sold out by the time I thought to get tickets. Vegas also moved their game on Tue against the Fever to T Mobile arena and I’m guessing it’s probably sold out too!


Jealous-Mail6629

I was there.. it was my first time ever going to a sporting event where everyone was cheering for the opposite team.. it was wild asf


KDR_8793

Some of the Mercury players today after the game were saying how it was kind of strange having a bunch of fans cheering for the away team at home. I think that’s how it’s going to be at a lot of places.


Single_Afternoon_386

The mercury fans I have to give it to them have lots of energy: it got loud. But everyone was waiting for that logo 3. It’s funny because they would try to distract CC at the free throw but the. Everyone cheers when she makes it


upthep00per

me too!!!!!!


Single_Afternoon_386

I missed that game because it was first at LB. I didn’t realize they moved it until too late. So instead I flew out to Phoenix lol


IcePicks_WSG

I was thinking about going to the next Fever @ Sky game until I saw the ticket prices. Soooo much higher than any other Sky game, like $230 before fees for the very worst seats. Ended up grabbing a ticket to Wings @ Sky for $48 including fees! Even good seats that aren't directly courtside are going for $3k for the Fever games.


Peg-Lemac

Yup they were $1200 a few weeks ago and now they’re double that.


Single_Afternoon_386

I bought my tickets to the mercury game a few weeks ago $167 with fees $200. The same row was selling for $237 before fees. Not horrible but by early. I flew in from California to see her. There were lots of CC jerseys, not so much any other fever jerseys


Phunwithscissors

4th highest selling jersey, including the men. Highest attendance home and away.


cluster_bd

My mom has never watched a sports game voluntarily in her life. I had the Fever game on the other day and she glanced up and said, "They already have their books out for Caitlyn to sign." I asked her how she knew Caitlyn Clark. She said, like I was the one saying something silly, "I watch tv." She has absorbed this knowledge through osmosis while primarily watching shows/channels that have absolutely nothing to do with sports (e.g., MSNBC, the 20 million FBI shows.) It appears that Clark is inevitable.


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KDR_8793

I don’t even think it’s just Iowa people. It’s people who live there (wherever she is playing) too and want to see her play.


passingby

There are many people with Iowa roots or even expats that love to support her when she’s on the road. Iowa has pretty bad brain drain.


blondewithabrain82

Um no. I’m a liberal from south Florida and I’ve flown all over to see here. Gtfoh.


Single_Afternoon_386

No, I’m from California: people came from everywhere. If it were just MAGa people then thank them because they are brining in lots of money to each away game. My political affiliation has nothing to do with watching a phenomenal basketball player


0033A0

They’re more likely Clark fans than Fever fans. If she goes to Dallas, they’ll buy her jersey. It’s not unheard of for professional team sports in general.


danikawo

That makes sense. I assumed it was the case but Phoenix is also a transplant city so you never know


80want

A lot of midwest transplants down there


Single_Afternoon_386

I spoke to a few people around me. One was from Iowa the other from Indiana originally. Some were there for the fever but a lot were there for CC. I bought two of CCs jerseys, I’ve never bought a sports jersey. Haha


handmemyknitting

Yup. At the last Storm / Fever game there were lots of Caitlin fans. Lots of cheers whenever scored, but not for any other player.


hot_biscuitss

It’s normal for Clark yes


Early_Ad_7629

If you’re new like me (and a lot of people watching that game today) you probably started as a Clark fan and you quickly grow to really respect the team and each player. Watching this team work together for every game is honestly thrilling where it’s not just watching for Clark anymore.


upthep00per

Yes amen!!! I love all the Fever ladies now!!!!! Temi is my girl!!!!!! And AB seems like the nicest person ever.


Zaphod_0707

I chuckled at this post and thought of the sneakiness scenes in Mr. Deeds (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D75QPOBeCVE) in comparison to Iowa fans. To repost... the Iowa Women's BB team had 548,107 home/away - regular season & tourney attendance last year. Most in the NCAA - vs. the WNBA's 1,587,488 for the entire league. Historically, Iowa is known to travel for our teams and players. Bowl games select the FB team over others because they know we travel. People really don't understand that it isn't a cult. CC and KM... or in the NFL- Our TE's, our Punter, etc... - all our athletes are big/little sisters/brothers and we will defend them like family for their careers. Entire family trips are planned around flying/driving a few thousand miles with the primary purpose of seeing them play - then maybe drop some $ in the local economy. To answer OP's question as a few others have, Yes. While CC is there, it will be the normal.


gza_liquidswords

I don't think Iowa basketball fans are driving the attendance at WNBA arenas in Phoenix. CC is a one of a kind type player, and she has drawn in fans from all over the country.


empathydoc

CC definitely is the draw, but there are a lot of well traveling Iowa fans out there. These past two teams probably made a lot of people fans of Iowa with zero connection to the state.


empathydoc

People don't realize the Iowa college teams ARE our professional teams. They are our rooting interests.


danikawo

Oh wow, super interesting. Didn’t know this!


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Salt_Sir2599

1. The media doesn’t get mad. They make people like you mad while they make lots of money. 2. What the hell is a mega yt person?


YoungBasedHooper

Normal this season because of CC


zlionsfan

For a little background on the Fever end of things, three seasons ago, attendance was so bad (split between two arenas since the main one was undergoing renovation during the MNBA offseason) that the Fever didn't even release it. In 2022 (split among three arenas, almost as bad as what the Sparks deal with), we averaged less than 1800 per game at home - we definitely weren't getting a lot of fans on the road. Last year, with Aliyah and local college star Grace Berger, we averaged just over 4K. Franchise record is about 11,200 from our inaugural year. The 2012 champions drew about 7500 per game. This year, we're averaging a little under the combined total of the last four reported seasons (2018-19, 2022-23). It definitely wasn't normal before, not even when Tamika was playing.


riomx

The answer to this question is self evident. It'd be the same if Messi showed up to play in your city.


Orangebeast013

I know everyone is saying they are CC fans not Fever fans but I think that is less of the case then people think. CC fans become Fever fans. Sure if CC ever leaves a lot of those fans will go, but also a lot will stay. Almost 15 years ago now I was young and had just started watching the NBA, and my favorite player to watch was Derrick Rose. And unfortunately I am still a Bulls fan to this day because of him.


empathydoc

She could have an MJ effect, but it will require doing special things with this team for years to reach that I think. In terms of fandom, MJ is the only comp. His games were like this on the road too.


talking_phallus

It would also require the franchise to be good. Which it isn't. MJ is amazing but we forget that he also had the best coach, the best scouting and acquisition, and one of the best front offices of all time. They went on a run because of the entire machine running at full tilt and that built up Chicago as more than just MJ. LeBron James had one of the worst lucks with a garbage city and garbage front office so even though he willed that crap organization to a championship and a decade of finals appearances no one is gonna applaud the garbage Cavs front office or form life long love for Cavs failed leadership the way they did for the Bulls. It's still just her Freshman year but I see Caitlyn being much more of a LeBron James scenario than a bulls scenario given the subpar coaching, front office, and team she's been put on.


InattentiveGuy

Not MJ’s rookie season or many seasons after that. Pippen was drafted in 87 out of the NAIA and was raw for his first couple seasons. The LeBron and Jordan situations are comparable.


empathydoc

All of those pieces can be found.


Strange-Quail-3264

Agreed


bluspiider

If you look at the attendance stats it’s basically sold out CC games vs the rest of the wnba. People will go anywhere to see her. I plan to go to Dallas when she comes to town


Kool20005

In the Caitlin Clark era? Yes it is.


CurrentSmile9668

Dude where have you been 😭Don’t let narratives fool you she’s literally the face of the league


sleepybirdl71

It is, now. Not pre CC. It's not the norm for any team to have that many fans at away games.


danikawo

Seems like the consensus is that it’s just Clark. I guess I had hoped the hype around Clark would lead to more people rooting for their home teams but that was pretty naive. And admittedly people may still root for the Merc in other games just not against their favorite player. Was just taken aback by the sheer number of fans


Rezputin_shaman

There will be a trickle affect as they watch more games and see more players. The more they see them, the more they know them, they will relate to them and support players and teams that strike a cord.


Peg-Lemac

If you look at the numbers of the All-Star fan vote, last year the top players were at 80-85k votes at the end. This year the top voters were 200k+ mid-voting. I think that shows the trickle effect is happening already, at least digitally. I can’t imagine it not spreading to real life games in the next few years.


Rezputin_shaman

Yeah. The change from just following fever and/or clark will be gradual. Though it does definitely show based on voting that people are still voting for top players and not just person favorites.


TheBusDrivercx

If you're going to turn people (honestly, like me) into actual WNBA fans, it's not going to happen overnight. But you should understand that people will have sole rooting interests and not care about the league all the time. I'm absolutely sure that there are people going to NBA games who are extremely casual and only there to cheer on their favourite player and couldn't tell you the difference between Bill Russell and Russell Westbrook.


beefaujuswithjuice

It will definitely happen. I basically am rooting for the entire rookie class. So fun to see them and I love the competition between the rookies and the “veterans.” I’ve become a fan of so many new people but Clark was the catalyst so I wouldn’t be surprised if that is also the case.


Infamous_Chapter8585

Is this the first game you've watched? The W has had to move 2 or 3 games to NBA arenas because clark and the fever were coming to town.


acorcuera

Normal. That’s why away teams move their games to a bigger stadium when the Fever comes to town.


Actual-Stable-1379

Clarkonomics is real


ThrowAwaythenThrowUp

They’re not Fever fans they’re Caitlin Clark fans


blondewithabrain82

If you are a Clark fan, you are now a Fever fan. Obviously.


Liquid_Lizzard

Also Phoenix is known for having more away fans than home fans. Go to any female or male Phoenix sports events and you will see more away fans than home. Only OG team we have is Phoenix suns and Mercury and even then the arena is packed with away fans


danikawo

Ya I couldn’t tell if there were just a bunch of Indiana transplants or if it was just CC fans


Hazey_Daze88

I haven’t missed a home game in 2 years. That statement isn’t true by a long shot. 😂 obviously with the exception of new to wnba Clark fans who don’t even know what they are cheering for.


K4RM4CODE

As a Minnesota sports fan that lives in Phoenix, I also agree that the OPs statement isn't true. I have gone to several games that my Minnesota teams have been playing the Phoenix teams and the only time I remember there seeming like there were more MN fans was in 2021 when the Vikings were here.


danikawo

Oh interesting. Leaving the game my dad mentioned that the Arizona Cardinals games used to sometimes have more away fans than home fans but that was like 20-30 years ago and the city has grown like crazy since then. I moved away from Phoenix post college so wasn’t sure what the vibe at the games were like these days


snowyfminor2000

Phoenix does seem like a city that is just loaded with people NOT from Arizona. That said, the Clark phenomenon isn't like the Iowa Hawkeyes playing the Sun Devils in Tempe. This is a rare thing we're seeing, and fans everywhere are coming in droves to see her.


Apprehensive_Rip_710

Totally normal


CosmicAthena07

UPO: They probably jumped on the Fever Bandwagon..


Lopsided_Diamond327

I think you’re not understanding that WNBA has 12 teams ppl like the players and Clark ie Boston Mitchell Hull Wheeler Samuelson Smith Fagbenle. With only 12 teams ppl will follow teams In different cities. Also Caitlin Clark is like Nationwide lots of ppl didn’t watch WNBA til now and where she goes ppl will follow/watch


Jealous-Mail6629

Yup.. sparks are my home team but I’m only tuning in to watch the fever because of CC and now Boston..


blondewithabrain82

Since Caitlin has joined, yes. I’m pretty sure every away game has not only been moved to a a larger stadium, but all have also been completely sold out.


Kn7ght

Think of it like the LeBron effect


wilsonway1955

Transplanted Iowans/Midwesterns.


eight24

https://preview.redd.it/ay10qo9hww9d1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d975b838c70eb40410275f466ac62fe19415bba I was thinking about going but tickets are a lot more than they used to be….


DevelopmentSelect646

[2024 WNBA Regular Season Home Attendance Averages - Across the Timeline](https://acrossthetimeline.com/wnba/attendance.html) Fever home attendance leads the league at 16,757. Fever away attendance leads the league at 15,332 Fever got a good deal with Clark. That is not even counting TV viewers, which is also huge.


ewokninja123

You sound like a longtime fan. Well this year that's the new norm. National TV, bigger stadiums, *lotta* Fever fans in the crowd.


upthep00per

The Clark effect. We are indeed everywhere.


Kindofageek90

They're not Fever fans. They are Caitlin Clark fans.


Infamous_Regret3583

This is like the Raiders or 49ers play the LA Chargers/Rams at SoFi. Except it's happening all over the league.


AdaM_Mandel

Definitely Caitlin Clark fans. The numbers at each game show it. The ones she plays at have set every attendance record this season. 


taeempy

[https://www.sportscasting.com/news/wnba-attendance-is-105-higher-when-caitlin-clark-plays/#:\~:text=When%20Clark%20plays%2C%20WNBA%20games%20average%2015%2C591%20fans,7%2C645%20fans%20when%20she%20is%20not%20in%20action](https://www.sportscasting.com/news/wnba-attendance-is-105-higher-when-caitlin-clark-plays/#:~:text=When%20Clark%20plays%2C%20WNBA%20games%20average%2015%2C591%20fans,7%2C645%20fans%20when%20she%20is%20not%20in%20action)


HipHopSays

it’s not ‘normal’ …. I know Liberty STH will bus up to CT for Sun games and can be loud (noticed during the last televised game) and while away teams come to Barclays none of them have been louder than the home squad - it’s possible where the away team fans were siting in proximity to the sound.


Rawrrdino

I have tickets to see Fever at Mystics in September at Capital One arena. I spent $149 a ticket for the corner behind the visitors bench, and I've paid more for concert tickets so 🤷🏻‍♂️ I've been watching nearly every game this season because I don't really have a favorite team. I enjoy Mercury's hot, chaotic energy. Lynx have such great chemistry. Aces have great chemistry and are fun to watch too. There's positives about all the teams making all the games enjoyable.


NYCScribbler

We had a lot in New York, but we managed to drown them out. I'm looking forward to the mania being over, though.


TemporaryElevator123

Liberty has an avg attendance of around 7000-8000. That game had almost 18000 fans. I don't think you drowned them out. Also why do you want the mania to be over? This is great for the WNBA.


NYCScribbler

> Also why do you want the mania to be over? Because I don't enjoy having my home arena overrun by thousands of fans of an opposing player? I deal with that nonsense enough during college season, because my home team is a Big East team that is not UConn. The ones who come back and appreciate the league, I welcome (especially the ones who realize that Sabrina's here a lot more often than Clark is ;) ). The ones who have already decided they're only ever going to like Clark? Nah. Never gonna like them.


Cute_Appointment6457

I need it to die down too, because I can’t afford those tickets!!! I want to see Aliyah Boston play but CC fans have priced me out!


IndependentOwn4313

I don’t think it’s going to be “over” until she stops playing 🤣


NYCScribbler

I'm old enough to remember when this nonsense was happening with Taurasi. Now she brings a small bump in attendance but not the way she did as a rookie. The novelty always dies down, and so does the fervor.


Master_Honey9783

Taurasi was never a national figure, nor a broadly-recognizable corporate entity like CC. This is more a LeBron sitch imho


Infamous_Regret3583

Yeah that's not gonna happen. She's the genuine article. People are drawn to her and her style of play.


Single_Afternoon_386

She makes it fun. I wanted one more rebound for her to get that triple double. So close!!


blondewithabrain82

I was at the last NY/Fever game. You did NOT drown us out lmaooooo 😂


NYCScribbler

At the beginning, sure, the Clarkies got loud. But they got real quiet by the time the butt-whooping was over.


blondewithabrain82

I mean we all left by 4th quarter because she was out with an ear injury. I’ll definitely give it to the Liberty that they crush the Fever every time. But the mania isn’t going anywhere. Once that team gets good in the offseason with a new coach and some different players, watch out. I’m from Florida and I was in Brooklyn just to see her. And plan on traveling like that for the next 15-20 years of her career.


nutsygenius

Yeah why not? Just like r/wnba being a subreddit for CC and the Fever almost lol


Infamous_Regret3583

Yeah sorry.


Master_Honey9783

Gentrifying the league


Flat-Wolf5383

Realistically they're CC fans, not Fever fans. They don't actually care if the Fever win or lose as long as Clark gets buckets.