A big part of the WNBA’s emergence in popularity this season is because of Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark. Proof of that was during a recent game between her team and the Las Vegas Aces, one in which a lot of fans were in attendance.
In a thrilling WNBA matchup, the Aces defeated Indiana with a score of 88-69 in front of the fifth-largest crowd in league history. Las Vegas’ Kelsey Plum scored 34 points to lead her team to victory.
The game was a highly anticipated one, with the Aces and Fever both boasting talented rosters. The Aces, led by the dominant play of A’ja Wilson and her 28-point performance, were able to pull away in the second half by capitalizing on their superior depth and experience.
Clark, the former University of Iowa standout, put on a show for the Fever by dropping 13 points, six rebounds, and 11 assists. However, the Aces’ balanced attack and suffocating defense proved too much for the young Fever squad.
The lopsided score belies the intensity of the game, which featured several hard-fought battles for possession and numerous highlight-reel plays. The electric atmosphere at the arena contributed to the excitement, as the fifth-largest crowd in WNBA history witnessed an impressive display of talent and competitive spirit.
Rookie Guard Caitlin Clark Praises WNBA Fans Who Attended Las Vegas Aces-Indiana Fever Game
After the game, Clark faced the media and answered their questions about how they fared against the Aces. In a video shared by Matthew Byrne on X, the Indiana Fever star dropped a massive praise for WNBA fans who attended their game against Las Vegas.
Caitlin Clark on the record crowd at T-Mobile Arena: “probably one of the best we’ve had from like a energy standpoint… the amount of people here watching warmups, I feel like that’s when I can kinda get a gauge… tonight, like it just felt very different.”
Full clip: pic.twitter.com/fZZ2R8umco
— Matthew Byrne (@MatthewByrne1) July 3, 2024
The Aces-Fever game drew the fifth-largest crowd in league history, just 308 short of the record in a 1999 contest between the Cleveland Rockers and Washington Mystics. This season has seen two games exceed 20,000 fans, both featuring Indiana, showcasing the growing popularity and excitement surrounding the women’s professional basketball league.
The good news here is that this looks like the beginning or a boom for the WNBA with Clark right in the middle. Expect attendance to go higher from here, especially those games that feature the Indiana Fever star.
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