Caitlin Clark, Fever see surprising attendance trend continue after Valkyries loss

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Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever continue to attract some of the largest crowds in the WNBA, but one surprising attendance trend followed the team’s 88-75 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday night.

The announced crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse was 17,014, placing it just below the arena’s listed basketball capacity of 17,274. That meant the game was not officially recorded as a sellout despite only 260 seats separating the attendance figure from a completely full building. According to figures shared by the “I talk hoops” account on X, Indiana has sold out only two of its first 13 home games during the 2026 season. That represents a notable decline from the Fever’s previous two seasons.

“Indiana Fever Home Sellouts by Season,” the account wrote. “2024: 16-of-20 (80.0%). 2025: 8-of-20 (40.0%). 2026: 2-of-13 (15.4%).”

The drop in official sellouts is surprising considering Clark has been healthier and more available during her third WNBA season.

Fever’s sellout numbers continue to fall

Clark’s arrival in 2024 immediately transformed the Fever into one of the biggest attractions in American sports.

— I talk hoops 🏀 (@trendyhoopstars) July 16, 2026

Indiana sold out 16 of its 20 regular-season home games during Clark’s rookie campaign. The Fever also helped opposing teams draw larger crowds, with several organizations moving games into bigger arenas to accommodate demand.

The home sellout total dropped to eight in 2025, when injuries limited Clark to only 13 appearances. Her absence took away some of the certainty for fans buying tickets, particularly as her status changed throughout the season.

Clark has appeared in 20 of Indiana’s first 24 games in 2026, but the number of official sellouts has continued to fall.

Still, the latest figures need some context. Drawing 17,014 fans is hardly a sign that people have stopped caring about the Fever. Wednesday’s game came within 1.6 percent of filling Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and that crowd would qualify as a major success for nearly any professional basketball team.

The better takeaway may be that the initial frenzy surrounding Clark’s arrival has settled slightly, even while Indiana remains one of the league’s most popular teams.

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Caitlin Clark, Fever look to respond against Storm

The Fever were unable to give Wednesday’s large crowd much to celebrate.

Clark finished with 13 points, six assists and three rebounds while shooting 4-of-14 from the field. She also committed four turnovers during a difficult night against one of the WNBA’s best teams.

Kelsey Mitchell led all scorers with 20 points, but Indiana could not keep pace with Golden State. The Valkyries improved to 18-7, while the Fever dropped to 14-10 and fell into sixth place in the standings.

Indiana will not have much time to dwell on the loss.

The Fever will host the Seattle Storm at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday before welcoming the New York Liberty to Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday. The back-to-back games will complete a demanding stretch of three home contests in four days.

Those matchups will give Indiana opportunities to rebound on the court and could also provide a better look at the team’s drawing power. A weekend game against the Liberty should remain one of the most appealing dates on the Fever’s home schedule.

The official sellout rate may be down dramatically from Clark’s rookie season, but more than 17,000 people still showed up to watch Indiana face Golden State on a Wednesday night.

That is not the same unprecedented frenzy the Fever experienced in 2024. It is still evidence that Clark and Indiana remain among the WNBA’s strongest attractions.