Topline
Ticket sales and demand for WNBA teams and games have increased drastically compared to the same time last year, according to a season preview report from StubHub—which credits college basketball star Caitlin Clark and her team the Indiana Fever as being at the forefront of the league’s growth.
Caitlin Clark poses with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected first overall pick ... [+]
Key Facts
Sales across the WNBA are up 93% compared to this time last year, StubHub said in its report, citing “a growth trend that we’ve seen for the sport across the last few years.”
Sales for the defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces—which also drafted Iowa standout Kate Martin—have increased about 190% compared to this time last year, sales for the New York Liberty have increased about 30% and sales for the Fever, Clark’s team, have increased more than 13x, StubHub said.
The Chicago Sky, which drafted LSU’s Angel Reese and South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, has seen its sales triple last season’s, StubHub said.
StubHub spokesperson Adam Budelli described Clark's impact in the report as “electrifying,” saying it sparked “an unprecedented 15x increase in searches for the Indiana Fever after her WNBA draft announcement.”
As of April 30, nine of the 10 best-selling games this season are away games for the Fever.
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Big Number
41 times. That’s how much sales are up compared to the same time four years ago in 2018, StubHub said.
Surprising Fact
Despite all the hype around Clark, the Fever is not the No. 1 trending WNBA team. The Aces and Liberty—both of which were in last year’s record-breaking final—are the top two trending teams, respectively. Last year’s finals were the highest-selling in StubHub history, with about three times more sales compared to 2022, the ticket site said.
Key Background
The increased demand and ticket sales for the WNBA follow a similar trend seen this year with women’s NCAA basketball—much of which was also led by Clark. For the first time in history, the women’s college basketball final between Iowa and South Carolina drew more viewership than the men’s between Purdue and UConn. Women’s basketball was smashing viewership records this postseason, and celebrities including Jason Sudeikas, Darius Rucker, Megan Rapinoe and Kylie Kelce made appearances at some of the women’s Final Four and championship games. Following the conclusion of the NCAA season, Clark signed a four-year contract with the Fever worth $338,056 in total, including a $76,500 base salary in her first season.
What To Watch For
Whether the hype around women’s basketball continues from college into the WNBA. The season starts May 15.
