Even before stepping onto a WNBA court, Caitlin Clark is already making a significant impact on the league.
The Las Vegas Aces, a two-time WNBA champion team, are renowned in the league, but Caitlin Clark’s potential to draw crowds and boost viewership surpasses even their popularity.
In a bold move, the Aces announced that they’re relocating their July 2 home game against the Indiana Fever from Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay to the larger T-Mobile Arena, as reported by front office sports. This decision stems from the anticipation surrounding Clark’s debut, despite her not yet being drafted.
Nevertheless, it’s widely expected that she’ll be selected with the number one overall draft pick, and Indiana holds that top pick.
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Clark’s immense popularity was underscored by her role in attracting a record-breaking 12.3 million viewers for an Elite Eight game against Angel Reese and LSU last weekend.
With the venue change, the Aces anticipate selling an additional 8,000 tickets, a testament to Clark’s drawing power. Tickets for the Aces-Fever matchup will go on sale on April 10 at 10 a.m.
Additionally, the Aces announced on Friday that they’ve already sold out five home games, with the game against the Fever featuring Clark expected to be the hottest ticket of them all. Among the sold-out games is the season opener against Phoenix on May 14, when the Aces will raise their 2023 championship banner.
The 2023 WNBA Regular Season saw significant milestones, including 36 million viewers across all national networks, the highest since 2008, according to WNBA.com. Average attendance also saw a notable increase of 16 percent compared to the previous year, with an average of 6,615 fans per game, the highest since 2018.
With a talent like Caitlin Clark joining the league, these numbers are poised to skyrocket even further, solidifying her influence on the WNBA’s growth and popularity.
