After beating the Seattle Storm on Saturday, the Indiana Fever already equaled their wins from last season with still 12 games to go.
The arrival of Caitlin Clark and the continued rise of Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell have propelled the Fever to greater heights. They’ve also sold out almost every game this season at the 18,000-seater Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Fever tallied an attendance of 82,857 fans in their first five home games this campaign, already surpassing last season’s record total of 81,336, as reported by Sports Illustrated’s Karl Rasmussen.
After their win over the Storm, Fever coach Christie Sides was asked about the possibility of moving to the much bigger Lucas Oil Stadium with the way people have been supporting them.
“You know what, sometimes, when shots are made or something big happens,” Sides said in the video posted by IndyStar. “The way the crowd sounds and what that feels like, it is like you’re playing in a championship.
“I mean, for our players to experience this every night that we’re putting on our shoes and coming out and playing these minutes, it’s incredible.”
The Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL, has a seating capacity of around 63,000. It has hosted basketball games during the NCAA Tournament in previous years.
In the meantime, the Fever will continue to defend Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The so-called “Caitlin Clark Effect” is undeniable, as her immense popularity hasn’t only increased the Fever’s game attendance but TV viewership and merchandise sales as well.
“It’s a great time for women’s basketball. Great time for the Fever,” Sides added.
The Fever will be on the road for their next assignment against the Minnesota Lynx on Aug. 24.
