‘Caitlin Clark Effect’ Seen in Atlanta, Helps Dream Set Franchise Attendance Record

The WNBA crowd can’t get enough of Caitlin Clark at the moment. Georgia witnessed this firsthand when the Indiana Fever rookie landed in the state to face the Atlanta Dream. Just for the sight of her, a sea of home fans flooded into the arena, setting a franchise record.

Reportedly, 17,575 viewers attended this latest WNBA clash. The game was consequently sold out, etching its name in franchise history. Shortly after, an NBA fan highlighted this remarkable instance on X (formerly Twitter), garnering the attention of the basketball community.

The WNBA’s Atlanta Dream typically play in a 3,500-seat arena.

But for tonight’s game against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, they moved it to the nearby NBA arena.

The game sold out and set a franchise record with 17,575 fans in attendance.

Crazy.pic.twitter.com/4kPZLrL2IZ

— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) June 22, 2024

This became feasible because of the management’s presence of mind. Anticipating the turn-up, the Dream shifted this game from their usual 3500-seater Gateway Center Arena to the Atlanta Hawks’ State Farm Arena. Much to their delight, this calculated move paid off big time, as the city united to watch Clark.

The impressive gathering broke the franchise’s 16-year-long attendance record. On this occasion, 11,609 Dream fans had turned up to watch their inaugural home clash against the Detroit Shock in 2008. However, the recent attendance has surpassed this number by a significant margin.

This outlined Clark’s magnificent impact on the league. Earlier this month, for instance, 20,333 fans visited the Capital One Arena to watch the Washington Mystics square off against her Fever side. This became the most-attended WNBA game since the 2007 Finals, and 7th most in the league’s history.

https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1799781765059416372?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Interestingly, Clark’s franchise has now backed up this hype with the results. Following their 91-79 away win against the Dream, the organization extended their winning run to four consecutive games. This has also boosted their position in the league, moving them up to 8th on the table.

Additionally, the WNBA rookie has played a key role in the franchise’s recent turnaround in fortune. Despite a lackluster start to the campaign, the Iowa-born seemed to have found her feet. Averaging 16.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game, the 22-year-old remains on track to secure the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year award.

So, the surrounding buzz remained justified to a large extent. More importantly, this is bound to increase further in the coming years, ushering in a new era in the WNBA.