Caitlin Clark effect leads six WNBA teams to larger venue relocations

The draw that is Caitlin Clark continues to amaze.

Clark has emerged as one of the biggest stars in the sports world today. Where Clark goes, eyeballs, ticket sales and interest swiftly follows. That’s evidenced by the Fever’s national TV schedule in 2025.

Opposing WNBA franchises are taking note, too, and shifting dates against Clark and the Indiana Fever into larger venues to help accommodate the rising demand.

With the Dallas Wings’ recent decision to move their June 27 date against Clark and the Fever to American Airlines Center, that’s now six WNBA teams that have opted to move their contests against the Fever into larger venues.

Dallas joins a list of teams that also includes the Atlanta Dream, the Chicago Sky, the Connecticut Sun, the Las Vegas Aces and the Washington Mystics.

Atlanta moved its May 22 date to State Farm Arena which seats 16,888, Chicago moved its June 7 and July 27 dates to United Center which seats 21,000, Connecticut moved its July 15 contest to TD Garden which seats 19,580, Las Vegas moved its June 22 date to T-Mobile Arena which seats 18,000 and Washington moved its May 28 and Sept. 7 dates to CFG Bank Arena which seats 11,614.

Indiana set the WNBA’s single-game attendance record against Washington on Sept. 19, 2024 from inside Capital One Arena. No WNBA games will be played in Capital One Arena this summer, though, as the venue is undergoing renovations.

The WNBA’s average attendance last year was 9,807 fans, up 48% from the 6,615 fans it averaged the previous season.

Clark and the Fever get their 2025 WNBA season underway as part of the second half of an ABC doubleheader against the Chicago Sky on May 17.

Kim Mulkey had brutally honest message for Caitlin Clark after beating LSU

LSU coach Kim Mulkey could do nothing but gush about former Iowa star guard Caitlin Clark after she dropped 41 points on her team in the 2024 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight

After falling to Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the Elite Eight last season, Kim Mulkey and LSU are looking to bounce back to the program’s 2023 NCAA championship-winning form this season.

Mulkey has seen it all: she’s a four-time tournament winner across spells at both Baylor and LSU and is a three-time AP College Basketball Coach of the Year with the 35th-most wins all time.

Still, Mulkey and her Tigers had never seen anything like Clark. The former Iowa star torched guard Hailey Van Lith and the LSU defense with an effortless 41 points as the Hawkeyes prevailed 94-87.

Mulkey was effusive in her praise of Clark after the contest. “She’s just a generational player and she just makes everybody around her better,” she revealed.

“That’s what the great ones do. I think they had a kid who had 21 [referring to Kate Martin], [because Clark] had 12 assists. Caitlin Clark isn’t going to beat you by yourself,” Mulkey continued. “It’s what she does to make those other teammates better that helps her score points and them score points to beat you.”

In a brutally honest message, Mulkey revealed exactly what she said to Clark when they embraced after the contest.

She revealed: “What did I say to her [after the game]? I said, ‘I sure am glad you leaving.’ I said, ‘Girl, you something else. Never seen anything like it.’”

Clark and the Hawkeyes would ultimately lose to Dawn Staley’s undefeated South Carolina side in the NCAA title game, marking her second consecutive tournament loss at that juncture (Iowa fell to Mulkey’s LSU in 2023).

The guard made good on her collegiate prowess at the professional level, nearly winning the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year Award unanimously while helping the Indiana Fever break an eight-year tournament draught.

Former LSU standout Angel Reese continued her competitive rivalry with Clark in the WNBA. She too was praiseworthy of her opponent following the Tigers’ defeat.

“I think it’s just great for the sport, just being able to be a part of history. Like I said, no matter which way it went tonight, I know this was going to be a night for the ages,” Reese admitted. “And just being able to be a part of history is great. Playing against another great player, of course, is always amazing.”

As a three-seed in 2025, Mulkey and LSU have a tricky route: they’ll have to beat a combination of No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 NC State, and No. 4 Baylor to advance to the Spokane Regional-1 Final Four.

The difficulty of the Tigers’ task is compounded by injuries to stars Flau’jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow. The former missed the entire SEC Tournament with a shin injury, while the latter exited LSU’s loss against Texas after stepping on an opposing player’s foot.