Michelle Lennis, who grew up immersed in basketball culture in Indiana as a dedicated Purdue fan, found herself rooting for the Iowa women’s basketball team this season, captivated by Caitlin Clark’s extraordinary performance that elevated the sport to new heights.
With Clark being selected as the No. 1 pick by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA draft on Monday, the excitement surged in a basketball-obsessed city and state. Lennis, 43, was deeply invested in the enthusiasm.
“She has brought unparalleled attention to the sport,” Lennis said on Tuesday, her eyes welling up as she spoke about her own fervor for Caitlin Clark. “People often overlook women’s sports. They just don’t take women seriously.”
Before shopping at the team store on Tuesday, Lennis and her 7-year-old son attended a WNBA draft party on Monday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Fever’s home arena. She was excited to see both young boys and girls eagerly anticipating Caitlin Clark’s upcoming WNBA debut.
“As a former player, witnessing all the negativity and comparisons, it was incredible to see Caitlin silence all the critics,” Lennis remarked.
Almost 17,000 tickets were distributed for the free draft party on Monday at Gainbridge in Indianapolis, also the home of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers. Fans watched a live feed of the WNBA draft from New York and cheered as balloons descended after the pick was announced.
Fever players such as Erica Wheeler, Maya Caldwell, and Lexie Hull stood up and donned red Fever jerseys with Clark’s name and No. 22 in white.
Coach Christie Sides later joined the players on the court and asked the crowd to recreate their reaction to the pick, as she had not been present to witness it. She was wearing a red T-shirt featuring a Clark-themed design that quickly became available in the team’s fan store: “With the 1st pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, the Indiana Fever select Caitlin Clark.”
Stephanie Bevins, who works with Lennis at a nearby restaurant, anticipates a boost in business during the highly anticipated Fever season. The two made sure to purchase Clark and Fever merchandise at the team store on Tuesday afternoon during their lunch break, worried that items might sell out later.
The excitement around the Fever’s draft pick was evident this spring. The WNBA arranged for 36 of the team’s 40 regular-season games to be nationally broadcast or streamed, including eight on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, eight on ION, and two on CBS.
In contrast, last season the Fever had only one game scheduled for ESPN and none on the other networks.
The team has not disclosed ticket sales figures for the 2024 season.
The Fever’s preseason includes two games: May 3rd against the Dallas Wings in Dallas and May 10th at home in Indianapolis. The regular season begins on May 14th with an away game against the Connecticut Sun, and the first home game is on May 16th against the New York Liberty.
On Tuesday, Ticketmaster’s website listed courtside tickets for the home opener at up to $2,300 each, while tickets in the highest balcony were available for around $40.
Since Caitlin Clark announced her decision to enter the draft in February, city and state leaders have been eagerly anticipating her arrival. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb called Clark on Tuesday night after the draft to welcome her to Indianapolis.
