Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is still playing at an All-Star level a month into her third WNBA season. But the media frenzy that initially surrounded her as she brought legions of fans to the rapidly growing league has cooled off.
The Washington Mystics host the Fever on Monday night. For the first time, Clark will be playing at the 4,200-seat CareFirst Arena in the District’s southeast quadrant. The Mystics moved their home games against Clark and the Fever to larger arenas in 2024 and 2025: Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena last season and Capital One Arena in the District the year before.
It’s part of a larger trend around the WNBA. Nine of Clark’s games were moved to accommodate increased demand in 2025; that number dropped to six this season.
Clark’s play hasn’t been the issue. Her on-court performances have mirrored her record-setting rookie season and her injury-limited sophomore campaign.
Through nine games, Clark has averaged 18.7 points per game with a league-high 8.2 assists while shooting 37.7% from the field and converting 32.4% of her three-pointers. Her career averages are almost identical: 18.6 points and 8.5 assists per game through her first 62 appearances.
The crowds are still turning out to see Clark and the 5-5 Fever. Indiana ranks atop the WNBA in away attendance. The Fever average 16,580 fans each time they hit the road, more than 3,000 more than any other franchise.
The Fever have yet to play against a crowd with fewer than 12,605. That’ll change on Monday, even as the Mystics will likely sell out the significantly smaller CareFirst Arena.
Unlike in 2024, moving Clark’s visit to Capital One Arena — home of the NBA’s Washington Wizards — wasn’t an option this season. The stadium is undergoing another phase of construction as part of a three-year, $1 billion renovation.
Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena was already booked by rapper A$AP Rocky for Monday night by the time the WNBA released its schedule in late January.
The Mystics declined to comment on whether or not another venue was considered for the game against the Fever.
Extended labor negotiations between players and owners this offseason complicated the scheduling process. For months, a work stoppage or delayed season appeared increasingly likely as the two sides traded proposals to decide the future of a league that has seen exponential growth over the last three years.
While controversy circled the WNBA this offseason, question marks surrounded Clark. The two-time All-Star was limited to just 13 games last season due to a nagging groin injury.
Her availability this season has been a continued source of controversy. The Fever scratched Clark from the lineup less than two hours before a May 20 game against the Portland Fire due to a back injury. She was not listed on the injury report leading up to the game.
Social media videos from the game showed a handful of empty seats, with some attendees describing it as the least-attended Fever home game since the franchise drafted Clark in 2024.
The WNBA issued a warning to the Fever. That’s the cost of doing business for a player like Clark, who remains a key cog in the WNBA’s growing media rights machine.
The 24-year-old said she can’t consider the reaction from fans or the media when she decides to sit out.
“At the end of the day, it’s me and my confidence,” Clark told reporters last month. “I feel really good and really confident in my body. But there’s moments where I still struggle a little bit, and I get in my head and things like that, and I’m sore. That’s just the reality of it.”
When she’s on the court, Clark is still a clear draw. However, her lack of availability last season — combined with the labor-related uncertainty that clouded the current campaign — may have prevented teams from reserving larger arenas in advance.
High ticket prices are the trade-off for franchises that don’t move to larger stadiums for Clark and the Fever.
The cheapest tickets for Monday’s matchup between Washington and Indiana are listed for about $150 on most resale websites. Most Mystics games for the remainder of the season feature get-in prices below $100.
Watching the Fever from home is easier than ever for fans around the country, though. Each of Indiana’s 44 regular-season games will be broadcast on national networks, a first for any WNBA team.
The Mystics face the Fever at 7 p.m. in a game that will air on both Peacock and Monumental Sports Network.
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