2024 WNBA Draft: Caitlin Clark Could Lure $6 Million to Indiana Fever Only From One Individual Division

Caitlin Clark has a heavy crown for sure. Despite all the hurdles, she has succeeded in wearing it till now. While Dawn Staley’s unbeaten South Carolina Gamecocks thrashed the Hawkeyes in the Championship Game, Clark has managed to be the No. 1 draft pick in most of the WNBA draft projections. And with her dazzling talents moving to the professional stage, ‘The Caitlin Clark effect‘ is also on a shift. While many believed that she would not be as impactful in Indiana to pull people to the stadium, the facts are proving those people wrong.

According to Fox 59 News, Indianapolis-based Fever is likely to gain a benefit of $6 million because of Clark. What is more surprising than these numbers is that this is only a probable statistic for one league. Michael Hicks of Ball State Miller College says that Clark will bring over 26,000 more fans to Indiana. Hence, the translation turns into $6 million.

Eric Graves, a reporter for Fox 59 Indiana, explained how this operation works. He said, “It is called the Caitlin Clark effect. It has packed stadiums and had a part in drawing a bigger crowd for Women’s National Championship Game than the men’s.” He added, “Now, superstar Caitlin Clark brings all that excitement, all that hype, here to Gainbridge Fieldhouse.”

Apparently, Clark’s WNBA debut with the Indiana Fever is already a hot stub ticket. The much-anticipated game will be in Indianapolis with the Fever locking horns with the Phoenix Mercury. The tickets are selling fast for what is being touted as a full-house event on Friday, July 12, 2024, at 7:30 pm. In fact, the sales for Indiana tickets are 13 times what it was the previous year at this time. Hicks also said that it would not surprise him if she tripled or doubled his estimate.

How are Caitlin Clark and her ‘Clarkonomics’ affecting Indianapolis?

There is no denying that Caitlin Clark will positively impact the team she plays for and the league as a whole. But that is not the only place where her effect stops profiting others. Many sports bars in downtown Indianapolis have experienced a surge in their customers during her games. With more clients, there are more service requirements, and hence, a flow of cash is generated.

The most mind-boggling thing is that Indiana has not even drafted Clark yet. But Indianapolis has sold a whopping 10,000 tickets already for people to watch Clark get drafted on Monday in New York. The WNBA draft event in Brooklyn on April 15 and with the first pick, the Fever is not giving up Caitlin Clark. In this team, she will also join South Carolina’s previous National Champion Aaliyah Boston, who was last year’s No.1 pick. The two seem quite excited to play with each other. Indiana Fever basketball is on the rise and Clark’s potential entry can only take it higher.