A few ticket brokers hoping to cash in on Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark’s name found themselves severely burned.
Clark made her WNBA home debut Thursday against the New York Liberty at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Clark’s impact on WNBA ticket sales has been significant across the league, but some scalpers may have overestimated her drawing power, especially for her home games.
The entire upper balcony for the Fever’s home opener reportedly sold out within minutes. However, tickets from the upper deck were seen selling for as low as $4 on the secondary market just hours before tipoff.
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In contrast, tickets for Clark’s WNBA debut against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday sold for much higher prices. Ticket brokers may have mistakenly expected similar interest for Clark’s home debut.
There are a few reasons for the ticket price disparity. One is that tickets for a player’s first-ever game can become valuable memorabilia. For instance, preserved tickets from LeBron James’ NBA debut against the Sacramento Kings in October 2003 sell for thousands of dollars on eBay.
The tickets for Clark’s WNBA debut might hold similar value if she lives up to the hype.
Another reason is that fans on the road only get a few chances to see Clark in person, while Fever supporters have 18 regular season home games to watch her play at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
